Moonlight Destiny
by Sticks
Summary: Written when I was Lady Pluto, and used to be called "Usagi in Space." Star Wars/SM. What happens when Princess Serenity is sent to Luke Skywalker's Jedi praxeum on Yavin Four? Read, review, and find out!!! Finished, too! (and has a sequel...) ^_~


Disclaimer- Jacen, Jaina, and all associated places and/or characters are registered   
trademarks of Lucasfilm LTD and Berkley Jam Books. Serenity and all associated places   
and/ or characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Pioneer. No infringement is intended,   
so please don't sue!!!!!  
  
Prologue  
  
  
  
It was but a few years after the Empire had been   
abolished, and before the great Jedi academy had been   
created. Luke wandered the galaxy, searching for something   
else to do with his life. He was Hero of the Rebellion, or at   
least that was how his sister, Chief of State Leia Organa   
Solo, praised him. Luke knew he was simply doing his duty   
as a Jedi to uphold the peace and honor of the galaxy and   
Light Side of the Force.   
  
The bar was noisy and crowded, not the typical place a   
Jedi liked to be. Aliens argued and gambled in the dark   
corners of the shadowy place. The bartender, bright blue   
and insect-like with his many arms and antennae, sloshed a   
mug of foreign liquor to Luke, saying he looked like he   
needed a drink. Thanking him, he took a swig of the drink as   
he heard angry voices.   
  
"Stop! Please! Stop!" It was a woman's voice, troubled   
and pleading with two large aliens who had a hold of what   
appeared to be a black knapsack.   
  
"Hey." Luke said, getting to his feet and approaching   
the struggle.   
  
"What do you want, human?" The one closest to Luke   
sneered. He was black and hairy, with long, spindly legs and   
a muzzle, which looked like a trunk. It had four eyes; two in   
normal positions on the head, two on moveable stalks on   
top.   
  
"Let her go." Luke ordered simply.   
  
  
The one holding both the woman and the knapsack   
looked at the Jedi Master and laughed. It was tall and   
muscular, with an acrid stench emanating from it. Its skin   
was thick and leathery; pale green mottled with a vicious   
snout sporting rows of glistening fangs.   
  
"What are you going to do, human?" It laughed some   
more, looking between the woman and Luke. The woman   
was young, Luke noticed, he was probably only a few years   
older than she. Her hair was blonde, but unlike Luke's gold,   
it was pale and silvery, reaching below her waist. Her eyes   
were a bright ocean-blue, but at the moment their beauty   
was blurred by the look of terror they expressed.   
  
"I warn you," Luke said, "I am a Jedi. Let the girl go."  
  
This caused the offending creatures to laugh even harder.   
"A Jedi, huh?" The green one said to its companion,   
who snickered.   
  
"Yes," responded Luke patiently, "And I suggest you let   
the woman be."  
  
"No can do, Mr. Jedi," the black one growled, "This here   
lady belongs to us. She is the bounty of a very rich king in a   
separate galaxy. Our instructions were simple; find her, and   
bring her to him."   
  
Luke concentrated, feeling the power of the Force   
running throughout his body, infusing him with its strength.   
His entire body tingled with the energy, and he saw the   
aliens, felt them, and using the Force, let his thoughts move   
them. Far. As he turned his attention to the girl, the two   
aliens were forced backward, tumbling, falling on one   
another.   
  
  
  
The woman was shaking, understandably afraid. She   
eyed him warily, throwing her glance between both him and   
the aliens that had been thrown against the opposite wall.   
They lay there, unconscious, in a heap.   
  
"I'm not going to hurt you." Luke said gently, "I'm   
here to help. My name is Luke," he added, as he helped her   
to her feet.   
"I am Selene," she responded. "Those men, they have   
been following me throughout the galaxy. Thank you," she   
said, a small smile stretching across her face.   
  
"Please, come with me. Perhaps I can help." He offered   
her his hand, which she accepted. Dodging angry looks from   
the bartender, they walked outside into the night. Luke had   
a ship outside, and they boarded. He powered up the   
computers, and the craft flew off into space.   
  
"I have a small place on Coruscant, if you would like to   
stay there a couple days. It would be an honor," he added,   
taking notice of the disturbed look upon her porcelain   
features.   
  
"Yes, thank you, sir."   
  
"Please, call me Luke. Now, why are those two after   
you?" he asked.  
  
She sighed heavily, twisting her hands in her lap and   
avoided his eyes.   
"It is my father," she said at last, finally bringing her   
ocean-blue eyes to Luke's ice blue ones. He nodded   
sympathetically, motioning for her to continue. Selene   
paused, as if finding the words was a difficult task.   
  
"He is the King those two creatures mentioned. He   
wishes for me to marry, and I have no desire to," she   
paused, watching him closely. "I am a princess, and his only   
daughter. To him, it is a princess's duty to marry and bear   
heirs, no matter what she thinks." She spat bitterly, her   
expressive eyes glittering with malice.   
  
"I took matters into my own hands and ran away. And   
I'm not going back," she said firmly to Luke, who   
suppressed silent laughter. This woman had the same fiery   
disposition and headstrong will of his sister, Leia. Perhaps it   
had to do with being a princess.   
  
"I won't make you go back, Selene, but you seem out   
of touch with reality. Just how many times have you been on   
your own?" asked Luke.   
  
"Counting this time? Once." She said sheepishly. Luke   
groaned inwardly. Just how many times would he be   
responsible for a clueless princess?  
  
  
  
From there things moved on. Selene went to live for a   
few months with Luke on Coruscant, where she met Leia and   
her husband, Han Solo. Leia understood her situation   
perfectly, as only another princess could. They became quite   
good friends. And as for her and Luke...  
  
  
"Selene," he said one day, after months of living   
together, "I think I'm falling in love with you." He watched   
the silver haired princess warmly, as she stared back, a   
mixture of sadness and affection in her eyes. She bit her lip.   
  
"I love you too, Luke, but nothing can ever come of this."   
She said, sadness too deep for Luke to bear in her voice.   
  
"Why, Selene?" disbelief marred his face. What was she   
saying?  
  
"I received a letter today, Luke. My father is going to   
war with Apollo's kingdom, and it's over me." Tears coursed   
slowly down her face as she faced him.   
  
  
"I can't be responsible for a war, Luke. I must go back.   
Father was right, it is my duty." Her tone was so sad it   
wrenched his heart as he watched her, the only woman he   
had ever loved, slip away.  
  
"I've arranged for a ship to pick me up. It will be here   
in a few minutes. My things are already packed. Good bye,   
Luke. I'm sorry," she said softly, as the tears poured from   
her eyes. Luke realized that he, too, had tears in his eyes   
when she reached up and gently brushed them away with   
soft fingertips. He clasped her hand in his, kissed it, and   
watched her leave. Moments later the ship had come, and   
she had left. Gone.   
  
  
  
  
Chapter One  
  
  
It was midmorning when the girl came in. Her   
golden hair was disheveled, and dirt was splattered across   
her white dress, but there was a sparkle to her eye her   
mother had never seen there before. The girl danced around   
the marble palace floors, rejoicing in the cool feel of the   
stone and in the joy of life.  
  
"Serenity, darling, is that you?" Selene had not seen   
her daughter for the past week; she had gone on a trip to   
the Earth with the Senshi. Only she had received a message   
from Mercury saying that Serenity had never shown. It was   
like her daughter to run off alone exploring, for as a princess   
she was normally confined to the reaches of the palace.   
  
"Mother?" Serenity asked, a bit sheepishly. She knew   
her mother knew that she hadn't been with the Senshi. For   
the first time in her life, Serenity had felt complete freedom   
when she was on Earth. All her life, she had lived on the   
moon, unable to go anywhere or be a normal teenager.   
  
Just then, an ear-splitting roar echoed through the   
ornately decorated halls.   
  
"Is that Serenity, Selene?! Tell her I want to see her   
NOW!!!!"   
  
"You heard your father, Serenity." Selenity watched her   
daughter tremble and turn pale. There was much tension   
between the King, Apollo, and his daughter. She   
remembered a time not so long ago, when she and Serenity   
had disagreed concerning Apollo.   
  
The King had been ill, taken abed with a fever and   
head cold. Serenity was but thirteen, yet she had sensed   
long ago the King's feelings regarding her.   
  
  
"Why don't you make your father a get well card? I'm   
sure he'd appreciate it, Sere." Selenity had said, and the   
look of cold indifference she had received chilled her to the   
bone.   
  
"No, he wouldn't. Why bother?" The young girl's   
normally warm and bright blue eyes were icy, and her tone   
was so cold it sent shivers through the Queen.   
  
"But he loves you."  
  
"No, he doesn't. He loves you. I was the mistake that   
never should have happened."  
  
"Do you really think that, Serenity?" Selene was   
shocked.  
  
"I don't think so, Mother, I know so." With those last   
words, Serenity turned and left the room.   
  
  
  
Now, three years later, Selenity had not noticed any   
difference in the manner of the princess regarding her   
father. Apollo, too, spoke of his daughter only fleetingly,   
when absolutely necessary. Selene didn't think he would   
have acknowledged her at all if it hadn't been for Selene's   
insistence and public appearance. The populace of the Silver   
Millennium didn't want a man on their throne who was not   
civil with his heir, and Serenity was Apollo's only bloodline   
heir.  
  
With a sigh, Serenity turned from the airy palace room   
and her mother's face to the darkened pathways that led to   
Apollo's chambers. Shadows stretched across the marble   
floor, filling her with dread. There was no way to know what   
her father would have in store for her.   
  
"Serenity..." Apollo's voice was low and warning, full of   
menace.   
  
It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the   
gloom of Apollo's chambers, but when they did, Serenity   
bowed slightly in the King's direction out of polite respect.   
Her personal feelings for the man did not matter.   
  
"Where have you been this past week, Serenity?"   
inquired Apollo.   
  
"Earth, sir." She drew herself up tall, or as tall as her   
petite 4-foot-8-inch frame would allow. Her chin stuck out   
defiantly, and her hair cascaded behind her in a river of   
gold.   
Apollo, aging, wizened, his youth leaving him, set his   
sallow skin in a snarl as he appraised his daughter.   
  
"Do not get an attitude with me, girl. You weren't with   
the Senshi. Why."   
  
His question was more an order than a statement, and   
Serenity trembled slightly.   
  
"Freedom, sir." She preferred to keep her responses   
short when talking with Apollo, for she never knew how he   
would react. His snarl deepened as he pushed one of his   
remaining strands of hair behind a tanned ear.   
  
"You want freedom, girl? You, the crown princess of the   
Silver Millennium, ask for freedom?" He laughed, cruel,   
condescending laughter. "People kill to be in the position you   
are in, girl, and you ask for freedom?"   
He continued, an amused smile on his features.   
  
  
"It's not a woman's place to be free, girl. A woman is to   
marry, be a good wife, and bear heirs. A husband doesn't   
want a headstrong upstart for a wife, but a sensible,   
obedient, beautiful lady. And it's high time you learned to be   
a lady."  
  
What little color that had been in Serenity's cheeks   
faded and drained from her face as she processed what   
Apollo had said. It's high time you learned to be a lady...   
Fear gripped her, fear of the future and of destiny.   
  
"Yes, girl. There is a school, far away from the Silver   
Millennium, in a separate galaxy. I have arranged for you to   
be sent there, to learn what you will. But," he paused,   
leaning over to his daughter, "on your twenty-first birthday,   
a messenger will be sent to the school to prepare you for   
marriage to a suitable suitor of my choosing.  
  
"Now then, girl, your shuttle leaves in two hours. I   
suggest you pack." Apollo turned away, signifying the   
meeting done and Serenity dismissed.   
  
Seething with anger, Serenity stalked down the halls to   
her own chambers. She flung open the doors, stomped   
across the floor, and sank, crying hopelessly, on her bed.   
  
"Leaving." she thought sadly, "I am leaving. And when   
I return, I will be another man's fiancé." Sobbing softly, she   
removed from the folds of her dress a golden star-shaped   
locket, and opened its case. Inside, a crescent moon   
revolved around a ruby-red jewel while a beautiful melody   
played.   
  
"Oh, Endymion," she said, "Will I ever see you again?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Hours later, a very subdued princess sat on a shuttle,   
leaving the only home she had ever known. Her mother had   
tearfully bid her farewell, saying it was all for the best, and   
that she would miss her terribly. Her father had declined to   
see her off, sending a message that she was to behave and   
uphold the family honor. She was representing her family   
and their kingdom, and was to conduct herself as a proper   
princess.  
  
She sighed. It was to be a long, boring ride with none   
but her, her luggage, and the wrinkled old pilot of the school   
she was to attend. He didn't talk much, and she didn't   
engage him in conversation, either. Instead, Serenity   
amused herself with the locket Endymion had given her on   
their last night together on Earth.   
  
Its sweet melody played over and over again as all the   
familiar sights of the Milky Way galaxy passed by her   
window in a blur of light.   
  
"You'll enjoy yourself at Master Luke's Academy,   
princess." Old Peckhum said to his young charge, who was   
completely immersed in her own thoughts and memories.   
  
Enthralled by her newfound freedom, Serenity danced   
around the gardens of Elysian. Her long white gown swirled   
around her, accenting her movements. In the shadow of a   
giant tree, a tall young man with midnight-black hair and   
dark blue eyes clad in the attire of a prince watched her with   
fascination. Beside him stood a smaller boy, wearing the   
white and blue robes of a priest. His hair was white, with a   
small, golden horn protruding from his forehead. Together,   
they watched Serenity as she twirled around the white   
marble fountain, skipping along the stones and laughing with   
the sheer joy of life.   
  
  
"Who is she, Helios?" The dark-haired boy asked of his   
companion, completely enchanted.   
  
"I don't know, my prince. A foreigner, possibly, or one   
of the noblemen's daughters."   
  
The prince walked forward, so close to Serenity they   
were almost touching, but she still had not noticed him. In   
fact, she was leaping along the edge of the fountain,   
throwing bread crumbs to the goldfish.   
  
"Excuse me, miss," caught completely off guard,   
Serenity whirled around to face the prince, but lost her   
balance and fell into the water. He leaned over to try and   
pull her out, but she pulled away from him and he fell in   
himself.   
  
Laughing, they climbed out of the fountain and strolled   
peacefully to a bench on the far side of the garden, in a   
grove of roses. The sweet perfume filled the air, and it was   
so beautiful Serenity felt as if she could lose herself in the   
atmosphere and in the gorgeous man before her.   
  
"Hello. My name is Endymion," he said, locking his dark   
eyes to Serenity's own.   
  
"I-I'm Serenity," she stammered. Her heart was   
beating wildly, and she was afraid of those eyes, those   
gorgeous blue eyes that she could immerse herself in and   
never return to reality from.   
  
"Glad you like my garden." With a wave of his arm, he   
indicated the paths she had danced in and the fountain   
where they had fallen in.   
  
"I wish he'd stop looking at me like that." Serenity   
thought, "I bet my hair's a mess, and my gown is soaked."  
  
"What brings you to Elysian, Serenity?" She fidgeted a   
little, toying with a strand of her golden hair. Her   
characteristic odangos were falling, and absent-mindedly   
she quickly undid them, letting her hair cascade around her   
shoulders.   
  
"Well, I'm here on vacation. I live on the Moon." She   
said.   
  
"I would be honored if you would stay with me in the   
palace, Serenity." He said, grasping her smooth hand.   
  
"Arigato, Endymion."   
  
"The pleasure's mine. I want you to meet a friend of   
mine," he indicated Helios, "This is Helios, my good friend   
and keeper of the golden crystal of dreams. Helios, meet   
Serenity."  
  
"It is my pleasure, prince, Miss Serenity."   
Serenity stopped suddenly.   
  
"Prince?" she asked Endymion. He smiled, flashing   
those brilliant white, gorgeous teeth of his, and laughed.   
  
"Of course. I am Prince Endymion, of Earth." He   
pointed at the crescent moon on her forehead,  
"And I don't think you're all you say you are."  
  
It was Serenity's turn to laugh.   
"No, I suppose not. I am Princess Serenity of the Moon   
Kingdom, but since I am here on vacation, it is Serenity."   
She smiled at him, and he smiled back. Oh, he was   
handsome.   
Together, the three of them turned and headed to the   
palace of Earth, where she stayed until she returned to the   
Moon and her mother.   
  
"Ten minutes till landing." Peckhum's voice snapped   
Serenity out of her reverie.   
  
"Ten minutes," Serenity thought bitterly, "ten minutes   
until my life is over." Gently, lovingly, she shut the case of   
the locket, abruptly ending the soft music. She caressed its   
smooth, golden surface for a moment, then tucked it safely   
back within the folds of her dress. Absently, she looked at   
her gown. Long, white, flowing, sickeningly princess-like.   
  
"I would give anything to be a normal girl," she   
thought, "without the responsibility, the worry, the   
entrapment..." she sighed. "I'm not even free to decide how   
I wear my hair, much less who and when I marry."   
  
Peckhum glanced back at Serenity, who was completely   
lost in her thoughts. Her gaze was fastened to the window,   
watching the stars fly by. He activated the landing   
mechanisms, letting the navicomputer guide the ship   
through the atmosphere of Yavin 4 and land gently. Dust   
flew up around the craft, encasing it in clouds of brown dirt.   
Watching through the window, Serenity could see a giant   
temple, older perhaps than anything she had yet seen. In   
the distance, she could see the beginnings of a vast green   
jungle, lush with tropical plants.   
  
"Here we are, princess." Peckhum said lightly, as the   
girl appraised him coolly with ocean-blue eyes, then stood.   
The entrance hatch opened, revealing a tall man with golden   
blonde hair and pale blue eyes, smiling at her warmly.   
  
"Hajimemashite, Tsukino Serenity-hime." He said,   
bowing slightly in Japanese custom. Obviously he had taken   
a great deal of effort in learning some about their culture.   
He had even properly pronounced the greeting, which must   
have felt strange to his foreign tongue.   
  
"Konban wa. Who are you?" Serenity responded   
politely, watching the man with mild interest.   
  
"My name is Luke Skywalker. This is my Jedi   
Academy," he gestured with his arm at the stone temple   
behind him. "Welcome." She bit her lip, anxiously running   
her fingers along the smooth gold chain of the locket, which   
hung around her neck and under her dress.   
  
Luke watched the girl, and sensed longing from deep   
within her. The look in her eye worried him; it was the feral,   
desperate look of a caged animal. He would have to watch   
this student closely, for such desperation was a lure to the   
Dark Side, who used the Force for evil and personal gain.   
  
Serenity saw him as he studied her, and she felt a   
twinge of anxiety. What was he thinking? What if she wasn't   
fit for his academy? Would he send her back home? Would   
she see Endymion again?   
  
As he studied her ivory features and golden hair,   
realization dawned upon Luke Skywalker. As soon as she   
brought her expressive ocean-blue eyes to his, he knew.   
Those were eyes he remembered; eyes he had loved.   
  
"This can only be Selene's child," he thought. A feeling   
of dread washed over him as all his senses and the power of   
the Force tingled with recognition. "My child."   
  
  
Peckhum watched him, a look of concern and curiosity   
in his eyes. Ignoring the wizened shuttle pilot, Luke   
courteously grabbed Serenity's knapsack, blocking out the   
surge of emotions coursing through him. Love, of Selene   
and their child, hate of his ignorance and the long ago day   
she had left, and the feeling of protectiveness that   
overwhelmed him when he looked at the girl who was his   
daughter.   
  
"Arigato, Skywalker- sensei." Luke managed a small   
smile, as Serenity fixed him with a gaze he knew all too   
well. It was the same cool, understanding look her mother   
had given him many times.   
  
"Hey, Luke!" Han Solo had just stepped off the   
Millennium Falcon with his friend, Chewbacca the Wookiee.   
When he caught sight of Serenity, though, the lopsided grin   
disappeared and he stopped dead.   
  
He stared hard at the golden-haired moon   
princess, his gaze flickering between her and the Jedi   
Master, before staring Luke in the eyes. He nodded softly,   
before beckoning Serenity to follow him inside the Great   
Temple.   
  
Meanwhile, the twins Jaina and Jacen had followed their   
father off the freighter and witnessed the entire scene. They   
exchanged confused glances, before looking at their friends   
Lowbacca the Wookiee, who was Chewie's nephew, and   
Tenel Ka, the warrior girl from Dathomir. Both had emerged   
from the sleek craft soon after the twins, and were just as   
confused by Han's and Luke's reactions to the new student   
as Jacen and Jaina.   
  
"What was that all about?" Jaina asked quietly.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inside, Luke was showing Serenity around the   
academy. He had met her but an hour ago, and already the   
feelings of paternal fondness were growing inside him. He   
could tell she wasn't truly interested in anything he was   
saying, she was obviously preoccupied. It wasn't until he   
reached the Main Audience Chamber at the top of the   
temple that she shown any interest at all. The old carvings   
engraved in the walls fascinated her.   
  
"This looks almost like the carvings on Earth..." she   
murmured, running her fingers along the cool stone. Yet as   
soon as she touched the wall, she felt her consciousness slip   
away from her, as if in a dream...  
  
  
  
  
FLASH!   
  
A woman, silver-haired, wearing a white gown   
screamed, begging for mercy, but Serenity could not see her   
face. A man, tall, masked, was behind her, grabbed her   
roughly and spun her around. A glint of metal...  
  
FLASH!  
  
  
  
  
She was back, back... Luke was watching her   
concernedly, as her consciousness began to return and she   
realized where she was. Luke's academy... She was in   
Luke's academy... She realized she was breathing heavily,   
and a tear was in her eye. Hastily, she wiped it away, feeling   
Luke's ice-blue eyes peering into her own.   
  
"Serenity? Serenity? Are you okay?" She realized he   
had a hold of her shoulders; she was shaking. Shaking badly   
from the look on his face.   
  
"I-I'm fine," she stammered, her breathing slowly   
returning to normal as she looked around.   
  
"I probably shouldn't say anything," she thought to   
herself, "he'll only think I'm a nutcase."  
  
"Do you need to see the medical droid?" Luke asked, "if   
you're unwell..." Serenity met his concerned gaze with her   
own, ignoring the confusion and the vision and replacing it   
with her inner strength and will.   
  
"No." She said, "I am fine. It must have been the long   
journey on the shuttle. I have never been this far from the   
palace before."   
  
Luke watched her with concern, noting that she   
fingered the chain of Endymion's locket when she spoke.   
Obviously the pendant had special meaning to the girl.   
  
"Perhaps you should rest then. I'll have a student show   
you to your room."   
  
Meanwhile, Jacen, Jaina, and their friends Tenel Ka and   
Lowbacca the Wookiee had emerged from outside to the   
entrance hall, conversing amongst themselves.   
  
"Jaina!" Luke said, harnessing his niece's attention. She   
turned, saw Serenity, and looked at her uncle with a   
question in her eyes. Ignoring Jaina's curiosity, he motioned   
her to him. Obediently she followed, still as confused as   
ever.   
  
"Please, show Serenity to your chambers," he turned to   
the blonde beside him, who was still reeling from her   
experience, "Jaina is my niece. You and she will be   
roommates, due to the large amount of students this   
semester." With a silent nod of thanks, Serenity retrieved   
her bag and followed Jaina through the halls.   
  
  
  
  
  
"So you're new here, huh?" Jaina said, eager for   
conversation with the strangely dressed foreigner. The   
princess responded with only a faint nod of her head, still   
completely immersed in her vision, if it was a vision at all.   
  
  
"I wonder what it could mean?" She thought. "Mars is   
usually the one to have visions. I don't have any special   
psychic powers. I'm just the pretty little princess who has a   
talent for singing."  
  
"Hey?" Jaina said, interrupting Serenity's thoughts.   
"My name's Jaina. Who are you?"   
  
Serenity turned to her, as if noticing her for the first   
time.   
"Oh, I'm sorry. I was thinking..." She smiled at the   
young Jedi Knight, "My name is Serenity."   
  
"After you've had your rest, I'll take you to meet my   
brother and our friends." Jaina said, smiling at her new   
roommate.   
  
"Thank you. I would really like that," Serenity said,   
feeling the happiest she had felt since she had left   
Endymion's palace on Earth.   
  
As she seated herself on the bed closest to the window,   
Serenity heard a muffled meow from her bag. Utterly   
surprised, she jumped as her breath caught in her throat.   
Grabbing the knapsack, she undid the laces and snaps to   
reveal a very unhappy, tousled-looking black cat. A golden   
crescent moon shone on its ebony forehead, much like the   
one shone on Serenity's.   
  
"Luna!" gasped the golden-haired Jedi student in   
surprise. The black cat responded by blowing a stream of   
fluff from the knapsack out its mouth, covering Serenity.   
  
"It is very uncomfortable in there, Serenity. Stifling   
hot," the feline said in the proper voice of a Guardian.   
  
"What were you doing in there?" Serenity was shocked   
to find her Guardian, her mother's Advisor, Luna the talking   
black cat, stowed away inside her knapsack. The cat rolled   
her cinnamon-colored eyes in exasperation.  
  
"Do you really think I'm going to let you, the princess,   
go off alone to foreign space far from the Senshi and the   
power of the Ginzuishou?"  
  
Serenity smiled wryly. "I'm not as helpless as you   
think, Luna. I still have the Moon Prism."   
  
Luna snorted. "A fat lot of good that'll do you in a one-  
on-one battle with a youma. Have you forgotten there are   
no Senshi here to protect you?"   
  
Anger quickly welled up inside Serenity as she said in   
an ice-cold voice, "I do not require so much protection,   
Luna. I am sixteen years old, I am not a child."  
  
"I forgot," the cat said slyly, with anger and frustration   
equaling the girl's, "you are a lady now, capable of   
marriage." She said, emphasizing the word 'lady'. The   
furious glare she received sent cold shivers through her as   
she realized she had said the wrong thing.   
  
"Don't even go there, Luna!" Serenity snarled, whirling   
upon the cat with fury enough to make her shrink back   
against the sheer force of the princess's wrath.   
  
"Is everything all right in here?" Drawn by the shouts   
and anger in the room, Luke softly opened the door to see   
the cat sitting on the pillow, and Serenity pacing the room,   
squeezing the knapsack until her knuckles turned white.   
  
Taking a few breaths, she laid the bag upon the bed   
beside Luna, straightened, and smiled at the Jedi Master.   
  
"She covers her emotions well," he thought, "she has   
been well trained in the art of queen-craft."  
  
"I'm fine, thank you, Master Skywalker. I was a bit   
surprised to find my Guardian hidden inside my knapsack."   
She shot a reproving glance at Luna, who responded with a   
lazy feline shrug and stretched herself on the pillow.   
  
"I know that cat," Luke thought, as he watched Luna   
toy with an absent thread on the pillow. "That's Selene's   
talking cat. The one who wouldn't let me anywhere near   
her," he thought with a wry grin.   
  
As if she had just noticed the Jedi Master, Luna sat up   
and stared at him as recognition dawned in her furry face.   
"That's Queen Selenity's old lover... Serenity's birth   
father... Why did she send Serenity here, knowing that he   
ran the school?" she asked herself. In his mind, Luke was   
pondering the same question.   
  
  
Meanwhile, Serenity was getting annoyed by all the   
furtive glances around her. It was as if something was going   
on, something that involved her, but no one would say a   
thing. They knew something all right, but no one would tell   
her what was going on. She would have to figure it out for   
herself, much as she would have to figure out the meaning   
of that vision alone. Jaina and her friends already thought   
she was strange, no need for them to think she was insane,   
too. No, she would do this alone.   
  
  
"Serenity?" Luke asked, as she gave him the cool stare   
he knew so well. It was exactly the one he saw in the   
mirror, but with eyes darker blue. It was the stare that   
meant 'I'm listening, but I couldn't care less what you're   
saying. I have other things to think about.' He laughed   
inwardly. So this was what Leia meant about him listening to   
and ignoring her at the same time. He was seeing it in the   
features of his daughter.   
  
"Serenity? It's time for evening meal. Why don't you   
bring Luna downstairs and get something to eat."   
  
She nodded, gathering the black cat in her arms and   
carrying her downstairs. She was in the entrance hall before   
she realized exactly what Luke had said.   
  
"I didn't tell him that my Guardian's name was Luna..."   
She said quietly, questioningly. "Something's being kept   
from me, and I don't like it at all."  
  
From her place in the moon princess's arms, Luna   
emitted a small meow. This would brew trouble, she knew,   
for all those who knew the secret.   
  
"Hey, Serenity! Come sit with us!" It was Jaina, sitting   
at a table with a boy Serenity did not know, but who looked   
a lot like Jaina, with his brown eyes and hair.   
"He must be her brother," she thought. Also with her   
roommate was a young ginger-furred Wookiee, and another   
girl with long red-gold hair done in ornate braids.   
  
After she had received her food, Serenity carried her   
tray to the table where Jaina, Jacen, and their friends sat.   
Luna followed behind, tail held high in the air as she pranced   
behind her princess. Nimbly, she leapt onto the bench   
beside Serenity as she sat down, white gown tucked neatly   
underneath her before billowing at her ankles.   
  
"My, what strange clothes you have, Mistress Serenity."   
Said Em-Teedee, the small translating droid who hung at   
Lowie's waist. The ginger-furred Wookiee gave a small growl   
of reprimand, but Serenity laughed. A clear, melodious   
sound that brought joy to all who heard it. It was the first   
time she had laughed in weeks. "Since," she thought, "I left   
Mamo-chan's palace." She stopped. "Mamo-chan?! Did I just   
call him Mamo-chan?! That means..." She giggled aloud.   
  
"Hey, what's so funny?" Jacen, who hated to be left out   
of any joke, good or bad, said. Serenity giggled some more,   
before wiping a hand to her eye.   
  
"Nothing." She said, still grinning. "And, by the way, I   
know my clothes are strange. I don't like wearing them,   
either." She smiled softly, remembering all the other things   
she had no choice about. As sadness overcame her once   
more, Serenity willed herself to stop thinking of what she   
was forced to do. It only led to painful thoughts of   
Endymion.   
  
At that moment, Lowie emitted a series of short woofs,   
watching the princess kindly. Em-Teedee translated-  
  
"Master Lowbacca says he is curious as to where you   
come from, Mistress Serenity, and I must say, I would like   
to know as well."  
  
Serenity laughed again, quieter, softer this time.   
"Me? I come from a galaxy far away from yours, in a   
Kingdom known as the Silver Millennium. My mother,   
Selene, rules over it with my-" she paused, as if simply   
saying the name was a cause of anger and pain, "father,   
Apollo. I am Crown Princess and only heir to the kingdom.   
Needless to say, I don't get out very much." She added.   
  
"Hey, Tenel Ka's a princess, too. She's from the Hapes   
Cluster..." Jacen was broken off by a wave of the warrior   
girl's hand.  
  
"Let Serenity tell her story, friend Jacen." Taken aback   
from the gentle reprimand, Jacen quieted as Serenity began   
speaking.   
  
"So you want my story, huh?" She asked to the eager,   
interested faces around her. Even Em-Teedee's sensors were   
fastened to the moon princess. Luna shot her a reproving   
glare, which Serenity ignored. If they were to be friends,   
there shouldn't be such secrets kept.   
  
"My story..." Serenity said thoughtfully, "There really   
isn't much to tell. My mother, Queen Selenity, married a   
man named Apollo when she was very young. Supposedly   
there was a big fiasco involved with the marriage, something   
about a war between Grandpa's and Father's kingdoms, but   
you can't rely much on court gossip." She said, the small   
group unaware that Luke was listening very closely to catch   
every word.   
  
"As far as I can tell, they have been happy together.   
But then, I really haven't paid attention much."  
  
Lowie emitted a short, curious woof which Em-Teedee   
didn't bother to translate.   
  
"Well," Serenity said, "let's just say my father and I   
don't get along very well. He's not very fond of me, and the   
feeling's mutual. Mother is oblivious to the entire thing, and   
has been for as long as I can remember.   
  
"To say it frankly, as Mother's heir I'm not really   
allowed to go anywhere and never have been. But, a few   
weeks ago, I managed to sneak away to the planet which   
our moon orbits. It is called Earth." She stroked the golden   
chain of the star locket as she spoke.   
  
"That sounds like something Jacen or I would do," Jaina   
said with a laugh. "Was it the first time you had been out   
anywhere?"   
  
Serenity nodded softly. "Yes. Even in Mother's palace,   
there are numerous guards, and the supreme warriors   
known as the Senshi. They are the guardians of our Milky   
Way galaxy, princesses of the planets of our solar system,   
but at the same time warriors pledged in service to my   
mother and our kingdom.''   
  
"They are Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Uranus,   
Neptune, Saturn, and Pluto. Mercury, Mars, Venus, and   
Jupiter live on the Moon, in Mother's palace. Uranus and   
Neptune guard the outer reaches of the galaxy from invasion   
with Saturn, and Pluto is the Mistress of Time." She paused,   
watching the faces rapt with attention all around. Many   
other new trainees had abandoned their conversations to   
listen to the tale of the strange new princess in their midst.   
Serenity smiled and continued,   
  
"Saturn's powers are great and terrible. She is the   
Senshi of death and rebirth, guarded by the planet of   
silence. The power held in her Silence Scythe is enough to   
destroy an entire planet into rubble within minutes."   
Serenity took a breath,  
  
"Yet if Saturn was ever to unleash the deadly power   
she wields, she would die. My mother's Imperium Silver   
Crystal, or the Ginzuishou, is the only known power that   
could prevent Saturn's death if she so chose. It is the   
greatest known power in the Universe, which is why the   
Senshi follow her. The power of the Ginzuishou can only be   
released by one of the royal blood, or if its keeper decreed   
that another should wield it." She said, and a small smile   
crept across her face.   
  
"On Earth, I was free for the first time. I had told my   
mother I was to be with the Inner Senshi, but of course I   
wasn't. I was alone, able to wear what I pleased, eat what I   
pleased, talk to who I pleased... In other words, enjoy the   
freedoms that most take for granted."  
  
Jacen shook his head. "My mother would kill me if I did   
something like that." Jaina nodded vehemently.   
  
"I didn't get out of trouble, now. As soon as I returned,   
my father, thoroughly angry, of course, decided it was time I   
learned to be a lady. Therefore, I was sent here until my   
twenty-first birthday. Upon which," she snarled, "an advisor   
of my beloved father will come for me to prepare me for a   
marriage which I have neither choice nor say in."   
  
Luke's eyes widened. He had not known what was in   
store for Serenity come her twenty-first birthday. He had   
known that she was to leave, but he had not known why.   
  
Her situation was, he realized, quite like the one her   
mother had faced when he had met her.   
"I wonder why Selene would allow her daughter to be   
treated this way by Apollo. She had hated being thrown into   
a marriage, why was she allowing Serenity to do the same?"   
He thought, completely puzzled. It made no sense. Unless...  
  
Of course! That was it! Selene had sent Serenity to him   
knowing he would recognize her instantly. She was counting   
on him helping their daughter as he had tried to do her. By   
training her as a Jedi and somehow annulling the wedding-  
to-be.   
  
"Selene," Luke said quietly so none could hear, "I will   
try. In the name of the love we had, I promise I will try."  
  
  
  
Far off, in the Moon Kingdom's palace, Selene paced   
her chambers as restlessly as a panther. Her silver hair   
swept behind her as she silently crossed to the window to   
watch the processions of the party happening outside.   
Couples were dancing, or relaxing together under the shade   
of the beautifully blossomed cherry trees. Like she and Luke   
should have been able to do...  
  
"Oh, Luke, love. I'm sorry for the way things turned   
out. I hope you will love our child as you once loved me. You   
deserve to see her, to be near her, to know the wonderful   
young woman she has become. I owe you that." She sighed   
as fireworks exploded in the dark night sky.  
  
"And I hope you can do more for her than you could for   
me, my love."  
  
  
  
  
That night, Serenity was sitting on her bed, staring out   
the window into the jungles of Yavin 4. The climate was so   
pleasing, there was no need for glass. The breeze swept   
through the room, heavily perfumed with jungle scents.   
  
Wistfully, almost longingly, she stared out into the vast   
expanse of space which stretched over the moon like a snug   
blanket. A small brush in hand, she was smoothing the   
tangles from her ankle length golden hair, while Jaina lay   
half asleep on the other side of the room.   
  
"Serenity?" she said sleepily.  
  
"Yes, Jaina?"   
  
  
"I'm glad you came." Serenity smiled into the   
darkness. She had found a friend.   
  
"I'm glad I came, too, Jaina. Very glad." She set the   
brush on her nightstand and crawled beneath the covers. By   
the time Luna had leapt up to lie beside her, she was   
already asleep, the star locket playing its tune in the   
background.   
  
  
  
  
  
On Earth, Endymion was as restless and agitated as   
Selene. He stalked around the garden where he had met   
Serenity, wondering if he would ever see his Usa-chan   
again. He stopped suddenly. "I just thought of Serenity as   
Usa-chan... I wonder if she thinks the same of me? After all,   
we were together only a month before she left to rejoin the   
Moon Kingdom..." He sighed. Already, he had become so   
completely attached to the blue-eyed princess who he was   
certain had stolen his heart.   
  
He knew now why he had given her the star locket. His   
mother had given it to him, saying that one day he would   
meet the person whom he would know to give it to. The   
person who would be his soulmate...  
  
It had been an impulsive decision, really, but the more   
he thought about it, the more he knew his mother had been   
right. He had felt that the locket should be given to Serenity,   
and he had felt that it belonged with her ever since. Now he   
couldn't get the moon princess out of his head.   
  
He had heard, through the gossip chain, that Serenity   
had been sent to a school in another galaxy.   
  
"How often does she think of me?" he wondered, "I   
can't stop thinking about her."  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
Serenity had been at Luke's academy for over two   
years now. She had become very close to Jaina and her   
friends, but she and her roommate were inseparable. She   
thought very little of the Moon Kingdom and her mother, but   
still greatly of the young man who was Earth's prince.   
Endymion. He had given her that splendid star locket, and it   
had become her most prized possession.   
  
"Sere!" Jaina called, exasperation showing on her   
features. "You've already missed morning meal! You're going   
to be late for class!"  
  
"Iie! I can't be late!!!" Serenity squealed, running   
through the open door and rocketing past Jaina, who was   
watching her roommate with a smirk. "Tionne will kill me if   
I'm late again!!"  
  
"You should have gotten up earlier. Oh, Serenity," Jaina   
said, laughing, "you forgot your shoe." The moon princess   
skidded to a halt at the top of the stairs, tripped on a   
burgundy rug, and rolled down the stairs. At the base,   
Jacen, Tenel Ka, and Lowie were waiting for their friends   
when they saw Serenity rolling down the stone steps.   
  
Jaina rolled her eyes, Tenel Ka politely acted as if she   
had taken no notice, and Jacen hid a laugh. Lowie chuffed a   
little as Serenity stood up, attempting futilely to regain her   
dignity.   
  
"Oh, man, now my hair's a complete mess and I have   
dirt all over my jumpsuit, with five minutes to get to class,   
and looking forward to detention if I'm late again. This has   
been a perfect morning." she sulked, as Jaina handed her   
her sandal.   
  
"Here's your shoe," she said innocently, receiving an   
instant sulky glare. Jacen laughed.  
  
"It doesn't look as if Sere's in a very good mood, sis."   
Lowie nodded in agreement, grinning.   
  
Serenity, meanwhile, was fighting trying to reassemble   
the odangos in her columns of hair.   
  
"I-am-cutting-it-off-as-soon-as-I-get-the-chance!" She   
said through gritted teeth.   
  
"Why?" asked Jaina, grinning.  
  
Serenity shot her a 'look', and said, "My hair is taller   
than I am!"  
  
"That doesn't take very much..." Jacen said softly.   
  
Serenity marched her four-foot-eight-inch frame up to   
Jacen and lifted her deep ocean-blue eyes to his brown, and   
said, "Don't make me come up there."  
  
They all laughed, Jacen especially. "I wouldn't dream of   
it, Sere."  
  
"I should think not." Was the princess's prim reply,   
before grabbing her black knapsack and leaving to class.   
  
"Master Jacen, if she was the late one, why are we still   
waiting here?" Em-Teedee asked. Lowie woofed.   
  
"Right. What are we waiting for?" Jaina said.   
  
  
  
Far off from the reaches of the light and loving   
Universe, in the darkest corners of imagination, reigned the   
Negaverse. Pure evil was home here, more, darker evil than   
the Dark Side of the Force could ever dream to be. The Dark   
Side held warriors from the Negaverse, and the Dark Jedi   
fought for their Darker upperlings in the Dark hierarchy.   
  
Here, Beryl reigned. Queen of the Darkness, ruler of   
the powerful Negaforce. Long had she watched the Light   
Side Jedi, and hated them. Long had she hated the love   
which radiated from their Universe, hated that miserable   
Queen Selenity of the Moon Kingdom who had blocked her   
from the world of light with her Ginzuishou. But now...  
  
The barrier which confined the Dark Queen to her   
realm of evil was weakening, had weakened enough to allow   
her escape. Queen Selenity would rue the day she had   
imprisoned her, mighty Queen Beryl, in the Dark Negaverse.   
Now, she would pay.   
  
"Jedite!" She roared. At once, a blonde warrior   
approached her side. The first of her grand generals.   
  
"Yes, my Queen?" Beryl watched him coldly with eyes   
that held no love, no pity, no mercy.   
  
"There is a Jedi, Jedite. A powerful new Dark Jedi. He is   
training under Brakiss at our Shadow Academy. His name is   
Zekk. Bring him to me."  
  
"But Palpatine, my Queen..."  
  
"Don't question my orders, Jedite! Palpatine is a fool, a   
loyal servant of mine, just as you. All you must do is leave   
the portal and bring the Jedi to me. I have business to settle   
with Queen Selenity."  
  
"Yes, my Queen." Jedite turned and left, leaving   
through the portal that connected the Negaverse to the   
Universe.   
  
  
Serenity sat in class, mind intent on concentration as   
she felt the power of the Force singing through her. Tionne,   
Luke's assistant and a powerful Jedi Knight, was instructing   
the class on a Jedi's method of memory retrieval. A Jedi   
could retrieve memories of the long ago past by   
concentrating using the Force.  
  
She was curious as to which memories to try and   
retrieve, when a thought struck her. If her mother had   
indeed been scandalous when she was a baby, she would   
have seen it, wouldn't she? She could retrieve her memories   
as a baby, find out what really happened all those years   
ago...  
  
  
Flash!  
She felt cool, damp air rushing over her, the sound of   
voices screaming, crying, pounding in her ears. Her vision   
was dim, her hearing the same, but she could hear, and she   
could sense. Sense as she did now using the Force.   
  
"You damned whore! You ran away, sent your father's   
country and mine to war, and had a baby with some cracked   
up bastard in another galaxy..."  
  
"I am not a whore, Apollo! And Luke isn't a cracked up   
bastard! I don't love you, and I never will! I didn't want to   
marry you, but I had no choice."  
  
  
"I should kill that little fatherless bitch and strip you of   
your crown for such adultery..."  
  
"You cannot, Apollo! Leave Serenity out of this!"  
  
"Keep the bitch. But keep her away from me, Selene,   
or I swear I will have her killed."  
  
"Apollo!"  
  
Flash!  
  
Serenity was shaking, shaking as badly as she had the   
day she had first come to the Jedi academy. Apollo wasn't   
her father... No wonder he had always hated her! He didn't   
simply hate her, but he hated Luke, too! Luke Skywalker,   
Jedi Master, was her father! So that was why he had looked   
at her so strangely that first day! And Han too! He had   
known as well! They all knew; her mother, Luna, Luke, Han,   
probably Leia too and no one had ever told her! She was   
trembling with fury and self-hate and a feeling of such   
wretchedness she thought she should never be happy again.  
  
"Serenity!" Jaina... It was Jaina yelling at her... "Jaina,   
my cousin," she thought bitterly.   
  
"Get Uncle Luke!" Jacen said, but Serenity was dimly   
aware, so focused was she on the rage boiling inside of her,   
consuming her, making her tremble and shake with   
suppressed anger.   
  
Luke Skywalker came running through the halls and   
into the classroom at the shouts. As soon as Serenity turned   
her deep blue eyes to his, eyes that were now filled with   
fury and betrayal, he knew exactly what had taken place.   
She knew... By the power in Heaven, she knew.   
  
"Serenity-" he said, but she interrupted.   
  
"I don't want to hear it! I know, okay? All this time...   
And I never knew... Mother never told me, you never told   
me... I trusted you." Her voice was so full of betrayal it   
wrenched Luke's heart as he watched the face of his   
daughter.   
  
She rose to her feet. "I need some time. Some rest,   
perhaps." She left the room without another word, leaving   
everyone speechless in her wake.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Deep within the maze of the dark Shadow Academy,   
Zekk paced restlessly, his crimson-lined cape swirling behind   
him like a wave of darkened blood. His hair, just a shade   
lighter than black, was tied neatly at his neck. He wore the   
black leather uniform of the Dark Jedi, of the Second   
Imperium's Darkest Knight.   
  
He was supposed to have met with Brakiss this   
morning, but the Master of the Shadow Academy was   
nowhere to be seen. None of the stormtrooper guards had   
seen him, either. It wasn't like the normally prompt Dark   
Jedi to be late.   
  
Zekk was impatient. There was supposed to be some   
new mission for him, some new task for him to accomplish.   
He was straightening the silver clasp of his cape when he   
saw a young man with blonde hair in a dark violet uniform   
stride forward to greet him, Brakiss at his side.   
  
  
  
"Zekk." Brakiss said, in means of greeting. Zekk   
nodded, still watching the blonde stranger with curiosity.   
Every sense of the Force within him told him this was a   
dangerous, evil creature, best to be avoided if at all   
possible. Never before had he felt such complete evil   
emanating from a man. It was unnerving.   
  
"To a private chamber, please, Zekk." Brakiss   
instructed, motioning for his trainee to follow both him and   
the violet-clad man.   
  
Once alone, out of the earshot of the stormtroopers   
and others who might choose to eavesdrop, Brakiss   
explained the reasons for his tardiness and the arrival of the   
stranger.   
  
"Jedite, sir, this is the young student Her Majesty   
inquired of. His name is Zekk, pride of the Shadow   
Academy, our Darkest Knight." He indicated Zekk, who felt a   
small glow of pleasure at Brakiss' praise. The stranger, who   
Zekk now knew as Jedite, nodded at Brakiss' words and   
appraised the young Jedi with cold, cruel eyes.   
  
"So you are Zekk. I am Jedite, one of the four great   
generals to the Queen of all Darkness, Her Majesty Beryl.   
She has sent for you, the Darkest Knight of the Second   
Imperium, to be part of her plans of conquest, a high honor   
to be bestowed upon a human." Jedite sneered the word,   
and Zekk felt a chill run up his spine.   
  
"And what role might that be, sir?" asked Zekk.   
  
"It is not my place to say. That will be up to Queen   
Beryl to disclose at her leisure. You are to come with me."   
He indicated a vicious-looking black swirling portal, which   
had appeared suddenly.   
  
"Who is Queen Beryl?" Zekk's curiosity had gotten the   
better of him. Brakiss shot him a glare of reproof for his   
insolence and ignorance.   
  
"Her Majesty Queen Beryl is the supreme ruler of her   
Dark Empire. Even the Emperor Palpatine obeyed her   
wishes. For the past millennium, the royal," he spat the   
word, "family of Queen Selenity of the Moon Kingdom has   
kept her imprisoned in the Dark Negaverse. Watch your   
tongue," added Brakiss, "for if I might be merciful in my   
dealing with your impudence, I can assure you Her Majesty   
will not be. You are as easily dispensable to the Queen as a   
stormtrooper is to me."  
  
Zekk swallowed a throatful of anxiety, as he watched   
Brakiss and the general Jedite. What was it he was sensing   
from Brakiss? Envy? Was the Master of the Shadow   
Academy jealous of him?   
  
"You are to come with me." Jedite repeated, gesturing   
toward the portal. Zekk pushed aside his nervousness as he   
watched one of Beryl's supreme warriors. Chin held high,   
confidence flowing over him, he strode past both Brakiss and   
Jedite and stepped through. Jedite followed, closing the   
portal as soon as they had both entered. Brakiss was left   
alone.   
  
Serenity lay on her bed, staring out the window, feeling   
the warm jungle air rush over her. How could she not have   
known? She had felt something since she had first come to   
Yavin, and she had always known Apollo's feelings regarding   
her. Gently, lovingly, she pulled a chain from where it rested   
underneath her Jedi robes, on which two rings hung.   
  
Jaina came in then, hesitantly. She opened the door   
and sat on the bed across from her friend.   
  
"Serenity?" she asked quietly, "What happened in   
there?"   
  
Serenity sighed, hearing her friend's voice. But, of   
course, she had sensed her before she had even come in.   
  
"I've lived a lie all my life," she said softly, "and I only   
just found out. No one told me that Apollo wasn't my father;   
not my mother, not my guardians, not Master Skywalker."  
  
"What would Uncle Luke know about it?" Jaina asked,   
confused. Serenity watched her, her silence speaking for   
her.   
  
"You don't mean..." Jaina gasped, "HE is! That's what   
I've been feeling every time we talk, every time we go near   
each other! Jacen's felt it too."  
  
Serenity nodded. "As I have. I dug into my memories,   
and found that information, something I had overheard but   
never understood and forgotten. Except I understand, now."  
  
"I can't believe he wouldn't tell you..." Jaina said   
vehemently, but Serenity shushed her.   
  
"I can understand somewhat, I think," she said, "It was   
probably as much a surprise to him to find me here as it is   
for me to know it. I think part of me has always known   
about Apollo..." she finished softly.   
  
"Come on, Jaina," she said, grinning, her usual happy   
expression back on her face. "It's dinnertime, and I'm   
starved."  
  
Jaina laughed. "Imagine that," she said. "You're always   
hungry." Serenity sweat-dropped, giggling. "You can say   
that."  
  
"Oh, please," Jaina said, rolling her eyes.   
  
"Hey, I'm a growing girl..."   
  
"Growing wider, you mean, if you don't cut down."   
Serenity put a feigned look of insult on her face, then   
laughed.   
  
"Who, me?" she asked mildly, "I'm hurt."  
  
"No, you're not," Jaina laughed, "Unless you count the   
unending hunger." She turned and left out the door.   
  
Serenity pouted. "So what if I like to eat?"  
  
"You coming?" Jaina's voice called out from the hall.   
Serenity turned and ran out the hall after her friend,   
laughing and playing.   
  
Jaina swatted at Serenity as the two walked into the   
food line, and she responded in kind.   
  
"Stop it, you," Jaina laughed, as Serenity stuck out her   
tongue and swatted Jaina again.   
  
"Why?" she replied innocently.  
  
"Because I'm gonna do this, that's why." Jaina whipped   
around and started tickling the golden-haired moon princess   
who laughed and tried to get away, ending up tripping and   
falling into the food line.   
  
"Hey!" somebody behind them cried out as Serenity   
landed on his legs, knocking him over. Jaina tripped over her   
friend and her tray soared out of her hands and onto the   
princess's head.   
  
"Ack!" she cried, wiping the sauce and juice from her   
hair and face, and, laughing, took a roll and flung it at Jaina.   
  
Jaina squalled and grabbed a turkey leg and hit   
Serenity with it, who, laughing uncontrollably, grabbed a   
fistful of potatoes and flung it at her cousin, who ducked,   
causing the potatoes to hit Jacen. Jacen recoiled, and in turn   
threw a handful of beans at Jaina, who yelped as they hit   
her, and threw half a fruit at her twin.   
  
Jacen dodged the airborne missile, which hit Tenel Ka   
in the back of the head, who, to everyone's immense   
surprise, grabbed a roll and partook in the fun. Before long,   
the entire room was alive with flying food, and all the   
trainees were covered in mush.   
  
"STOP!" Luke yelled, but not before a great pie flying   
through the air hit him square in the face. Of course, it   
wasn't aimed at him, he just happened to be in the way.   
He glared around at the deadly hush of students, cream   
dripping off of his face.  
  
"Who started this?" he asked, his tone stern.   
  
One by one, everyone pointed at Jaina and Serenity,   
who smiled meekly, dripping in dinner. Jaina had a bowl of   
chili poised at Serenity, who fell (again!) on top of the meal   
line, the entire thing falling all around her.   
  
"Oops," she said timidly, as a piece of aluminum hit her   
on the head and bounced off. "Ouch!"   
  
Jaina, who knew she was in serious trouble judging   
from the look on her uncle's face, couldn't help but laugh as   
she saw Serenity fighting to pull herself out of the mess of   
the line and failing. She helped her friend up, innocently   
tossing the chili to the side.   
  
A stern look upon stern looks came across Luke's face   
as he looked at his daughter and niece.   
  
"Jaina," he said, "Serenity. As fitting punishment you   
two will spend the night cleaning this mess up alone. As for   
the rest of you, the evening's sparring session has been   
cancelled, for it doesn't matter who started it if you all   
joined in. Now I suggest you all go upstairs and clean   
yourselves up." The Jedi Master's tone said quite clearly the   
conversation was ended, as the young Jedi Knights trudged   
upstairs and Serenity and Jaina began to clean.   
  
  
As they were straightening everything, Serenity flung   
a sponge at Jaina, who tried to look as stern as she knew   
how.  
  
"Don't even start. That's how we got into this mess in   
the first place."   
  
Serenity laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right." She   
pulled some vegetables out of her golden hair, and wiped   
some of the food from her face.   
  
Jaina laughed. "Did you see Uncle Luke with that pie on   
his face? I mean," she said, "I know I was supposed to be   
upset, but it's hard not to laugh when the one punishing you   
has got pie all over his face." Serenity though, had gone   
silent.   
  
"It's nice to know I could amuse you, Jaina," Luke said   
sternly, coming out from behind her.   
  
"Uh," Jaina stuttered, her face turning from death-pale   
to tomato-red faster than lightspeed.   
  
"Don't worry about it," Luke said, the frown   
disappearing partly. "Whatever made you decide to start a   
food fight?"   
  
"Uh," Serenity stuttered, her face matching Jaina's in   
hue.   
  
It was taking everything Luke had in him to keep from   
bursting into laughter watching his two students. The dinner   
hall was almost completely clean now, since the two had   
been working all evening.   
  
"On greater reflection," Luke said, "I really don't want   
to know."   
  
"Uh," Jaina and Serenity said in unison, then burst out   
laughing.   
  
"You two go clean yourselves up," he said, smiling.   
  
"Okay, Uncle Luke," Jaina said brightly, and   
disappeared up the stairs.   
  
"Serenity," Luke said, "wait. I want to talk with you."  
  
Serenity stopped as she was asked, turned around and   
met Luke's gaze. Her countenance was perfectly masked as   
she studied the Jedi Master. Luke watched his daughter as   
she put up her spiritual and emotional walls, refusing to let   
anyone in, anyone meaning him.   
  
  
"I'm sorry, Serenity," he began, "I should have told   
you..."   
  
"It doesn't matter," she replied. "I know now, and   
there's no point in dwelling on what should have been done.   
It doesn't do anyone good."   
  
The Jedi Master laughed inwardly. "You're right," he   
said, "go ahead and clean yourself up."   
  
She nodded silently and walked upstairs.   
  
  
****  
  
The time flew by. Before long, Serenity was dreading   
the day which would bring her birthday, for then she would   
be twenty-one. A few days ago word had come on the   
communication that a ship was coming for her and would   
take her back to the realm of the Silver Millennium.   
  
As of the moment, the blonde princess was pacing her   
chambers weeping and fretting and throwing objects about.   
Jaina walked in on her cousin to find her throw herself upon   
the bed, sobbing uncontrollably.   
  
"Sere?" she asked, crossing the room to hold her friend   
and comfort her. Serenity folded onto her cousin, pouring   
out her broken heart in a flood of tears.   
  
"Oh, Jaina," she sobbed, "I can do nothing! I am past   
help, past hope..."   
  
"What do you mean, Serenity?" Jaina asked curious as   
to what was causing her friend such distress.   
  
"I mean I am about to be married to a person I have   
never met, when the man I do love, my husband still lives!"  
  
"What?!" Jaina cried, shocked.   
  
"I mean exactly that!" she wept, "Those months on   
Earth; I fell in love with their crown prince, even though our   
nations are at war!"   
  
Jaina could do little else but stare as Serenity told her   
tale.   
  
"How can people hate each other so? Is my mother's   
society of longevity so much envied that people would kill   
each other over the Ginzuishou? Should it, should I even   
exist?" She wept bitterly on her friend's shoulder, as Jaina   
thought desperately of something to say.   
  
"No, Serenity, none of this is your fault," she said   
soothingly, but the princess was not in the mood to be   
comforted.   
  
"I married him then, in secret, because our peoples   
would never allow it, much less Apollo. If anyone had ever   
realized just who I was, they would have killed me without   
question. The same would have happened to Endymion if he   
had come for me on the Moon after our marriage. And,   
before we could work something out, Apollo sent me here!"  
  
Serenity was in such a sorrowful frenzy Jaina had no   
idea of what to say, much less what to do.   
  
"Everything will be okay, Sere," she said, "You've just   
got to believe that."  
  
"How can I?" she wept, "I, a married woman, am soon   
to be married again, while the person I love is kept from me   
by war, and there's nothing I can do about it!"  
  
Jaina soothed her cousin, although it was very difficult   
to do so with her current state. An idea struck her, and she   
reached out a hand to turn Serenity's face to her own.   
  
"Listen, Serenity," she said softly, as the girl brought   
her tear-stained face to meet Jaina's.   
  
"What?" she sobbed.   
  
"You've got to tell Uncle Luke," Jaina replied. "If you   
tell him the full story, I bet he can do a lot more than you or   
I."  
  
Serenity stopped in her agitation, and looked at her   
cousin.   
  
"Tell him," Jaina said encouragingly.   
  
The princess looked at her friend and made up her   
mind.   
  
"Okay," she said, "but you go get him." Jaina smiled,   
hoping that this would all turn out for the better.   
  
"All right, Sere."  
  
  
  
  
Serenity sat alone on her bed, staring out the window.   
Her knees were drawn up to her chest, her long golden hair   
released from its imprisonment in odangos, covered her. Her   
face was red and blotchy, tear-streaked from crying. The   
star locket lay open at the foot of the blanket, closed,   
reflecting the internal lights off of its golden case.   
  
Serenity turned her gaze to it, and a look of sheer   
determination crossed her features. She stood, straightened   
her Jedi's robes, and began going through her belongings.   
  
She tore open her knapsack, shoved in a few days'   
worth of clothing, as well as other necessary items. She   
lovingly looked at the star locket, before clasping its chain   
behind her neck. Lastly, she grabbed her lightsaber, the   
weapon of a Jedi, the pride of months of work, and placed it   
inside the knapsack with her other possessions.  
  
She stared at the brooch that held the Moon Prism, and   
a snarl curled her pink-stained lips. She laid it on the bed,   
beside her royal tiara and her white princess's gown, and left   
through the window.   
  
  
  
  
The night had just begun to fall when Serenity left. On   
the horizon, she could see the yellowish glow of the gas   
giant Yavin, along with glittering stars. Somewhere, out   
there among those glistening white orbs, Endymion was   
waiting for her.   
  
"I'm coming, love. Nothing else binds me, nothing can   
keep me away," she whispered, her melodious voice lost in   
the chorus of the jungle.   
  
In the hangar bay, Peckhum was gearing for a trip to   
another planet in a section far away from Yavin 4. New   
supplies needed to be brought to the Jedi academy, and he   
was the only one for the job. Giant steel drums were set   
against the stone wall of the Great Temple, drums that were   
to be used for carrying back his cargo.   
  
With a heave, Peckhum loaded the last of the metal   
drums onto the Lightening Rod, and took his seat at the   
helm. The tiny freighter powered up its engines, and hurtled   
into space.   
  
  
  
  
Jaina was extremely worried about her friend. Jacen,   
Lowie, and Tenel Ka shared her concern, and none knew   
what had become of their princess friend.   
  
Jaina stood up. "I'm really worried. We should go check   
on her." The others agreed, and they followed Jaina as she   
made her way to the dormitory which she and Serenity   
shared.   
  
The others stayed behind as Jaina crossed the   
threshold of the little room. She walked over to her   
roommate's bed, glanced at everything lying there, and   
gave a gasp of surprise. Lowie, Jacen, and Tenel Ka rushed   
to her, and were as stunned as she had been.   
  
  
  
On the bed, neatly laid out, sat Serenity's royal tiara,   
white princess's gown, the brooch containing the Moon   
Prism, and a note:  
  
Dear my friends,   
In a few weeks my life will no longer be my own. I have   
known that this day would come, felt it deep within me. I am tired   
of having my life led for me, and I am taking my destiny in my own   
hands, living as I would choose. By the time you read this note I   
will be gone, too far gone for you to find me, and I pray that you   
shan't try. Simply know that I have, at long last, the chance to be   
happy. Happiness, that feeling that most take for granted. I have   
known it truly here, for one of the rare times in my life. I thank you   
all for that.   
  
Thank you for being the best friends I could have ever wished   
for. The first and only true friends I have ever known.   
  
Serenity Tsukino  
  
  
  
"She ran away..." Jaina said in disbelief. Lowie emitted   
a growl-woof which Em-Teedee translated.   
  
"Master Lowbacca wishes to know how it is possible to   
run away from a moon in the middle of space with no ship."  
  
  
Jacen was still recovering from the shock.   
"That makes her our cousin, doesn't it, Jaina?"   
  
Jaina nodded mutely. She couldn't think, couldn't speak.   
Wherever could Serenity have gone? Alone, in space, with   
no one and nowhere to go... Wandering aimlessly...  
  
Lowie roared.   
  
"Of course, Master Lowbacca! We must find Mistress   
Serenity!"  
  
Tenel Ka still had not spoken. She appeared deep in   
thought as Jacen turned to her.   
  
"What are you thinking, Tenel Ka?"   
  
"Well, friend Jacen," she said, her brow furrowed in   
concentration, "Perhaps it would be best if we left her alone   
and respected her wishes."  
  
"We can't do that!" Jacen exclaimed, as Lowie and   
Jaina nodded vehemently.   
  
"Listen. I can understand somewhat what our friend   
Serenity is feeling. I too am a princess. She doesn't want to   
be forced into a life of marriage that she has no power in,   
and I don't blame her."  
  
"But still! Ordinarily I would say you're right, but we're   
talking about Serenity! She had never been away from the   
Moon Kingdom before she came here. She has no idea how   
to survive on her own." Jaina said forcefully. "She trusts   
people far too easily. You know as well as I do that as pure   
and innocent as she is what can happen!" In an outburst of   
fury Jaina slammed her fist against the wooden chest.   
  
"I suppose there is only one thing left to do, then."   
Tenel Ka said. "Tell Master Skywalker."  
  
  
"Tell me what, Tenel Ka?" Luke Skywalker stood   
framed in the doorway, watching his nephew and niece and   
their friends. A heavy tension settled between them.   
  
"That Serenity is gone." Jaina said at last. Luke's eyes   
widened. He had never expected something this severe from   
the normally happy girl. "Woman," Luke corrected himself,   
"she is twenty years old now. Soon to be twenty-one."  
  
"What do you mean, gone?" He inquired of his young   
Jedi students.   
  
"She left. All she left behind was this note, and   
everything that had to do with being the Moon Princess."   
Jacen indicated the items on the bed.   
  
"Why would she do that?" Luke asked of his students,   
though deep inside him, he already knew.   
  
"The secret that you wouldn't tell her," Jaina said   
softly. "That and her twenty-first birthday."  
  
  
Luke shivered slightly. "So you know then?" He asked.   
They all nodded. He sighed.   
  
"We must find her. You know how she is."  
  
Lowie growled an inquiry at Jaina. She nodded.  
  
"Exactly, Lowie. What are we waiting for?"  
  
They left the room, the Jedi Master and his four   
students, to the hangar bay, where the state-of-the-art ship   
Shadow Chaser was kept.   
  
"Your mother might not like this," Luke warned his   
nephew and niece.   
  
"She'll get over it," Jaina said firmly. "We're coming."  
  
  
"Yes, but going where? Where could she have gone?"   
Luke asked, both to himself and his students.   
  
At that moment, Tionne, Jedi instructor and assistant to   
Master Skywalker, strode into the hangar bay. Mother-of-  
pearl eyes shone from elven features as she quickly   
assessed the scene.   
  
"Master Skywalker," she addressed the Jedi Master,   
"There is a ship outside. It is here to see both you and the   
girl Serenity."  
  
Jaina glanced at Jacen, turning pale. How could Uncle   
Luke explain to these people that their crown princess was   
nowhere to be found? Her friends shared her doubts and   
concerns, but Luke was to handle the situation smoothly.   
  
With a nod of thanks to Tionne, he bade the Jedi   
trainees to stay in the hangar bay as he attended to the   
Silver Millennial Alliance's messenger.   
  
  
He stepped into the sunlight, its glow reflecting off of   
his golden hair. The small craft had just settled into the dust   
when he approached.   
  
The hatch opened with a small whoosh of air, and what   
Luke Skywalker saw made his heart stop. Walking off the   
entrance ramp with all the grace and dignity of the felines,   
her silver hair shimmering around her like a strange,   
glistening halo, was Selene Tsukino. Queen Selenity.   
  
  
She was mildly dressed, for a queen. A white linen   
shirt, khaki pants. Her long hair was done in a style almost   
exactly like Serenity's; the two odangos perched atop her   
shining head like meatballs in spaghetti.   
  
"Hello, Luke." She said softly, watching the father of   
her child through guarded eyes; eyes that held sorrow and   
love, guilt and pain, and joy.   
  
Still completely in a state of shock, Luke Skywalker   
stared at the woman he had loved, the woman who had left   
only to return twenty-one years later. Even now, she was as   
beautiful as ever she had been. That golden crescent moon   
still shone on her brow, exactly as it did on Serenity's.   
Serenity...  
  
The thought of the girl who had run away awakened   
afresh within his dumbstruck brain. Serenity, his blood   
daughter, had run away from him...   
  
"Selene." Luke nodded a greeting at the Queen of the   
Silver Millennium. "We must talk." He motioned toward the   
Great Temple, "Please, come with me." With a silent, partly   
guarded nod, Selene followed the Jedi Master into his   
academy.   
  
  
  
  
It was hot, unbearably so inside that steel drum. Oh,   
how she longed to be free of the confinement, but Serenity   
was not yet sure that Peckhum's freighter was far enough   
away for her to safely escape its concealment.   
  
It had been a tight fit, but her tiny frame was just small   
enough to squeeze inside the container. None of the other   
trainees could have accomplished it. Jacen couldn't comment   
on her lack of height when it came to this, could he?   
  
"Jacen can't comment on anything I do," Serenity   
thought with a pang of sadness. "Nor Jaina, nor Lowie, nor   
Tenel Ka. I am alone in space."   
  
  
The interior of the steel drum was cramped, and   
Serenity could barely move. Just as she felt she might be   
about ready to leave her confinement, she felt the   
beginnings of a sneeze.   
  
"Oh, no!" she thought frantically. "I can't sneeze now!"   
  
But the itching within her nose continued to intensify,   
until- "Achoo!" Serenity sneezed. The noise reverberated   
inside the drum, pounding inside Serenity's skull. Luckily, for   
her anyway, Peckhum took no notice at the helm above the   
cargo bay, for a chime had just sounded to signify his   
dinner.   
  
Using her opportunity, Serenity tuned all her senses   
with the Force to Peckhum, so that he shan't notice any   
noise she might create in exiting her confines. Quietly, she   
slid the top of the container off, allowing herself enough   
room to exit. She then carefully replaced it, and hid in the   
shadows, far from where Peckhum could see if he decided to   
enter the cargo hold, and away from the steel drums he   
would use.   
  
She had timed her exit perfectly, for no sooner was she   
hidden in the shadows then she felt the landing gear of the   
Lightening Rod engage and prepare for descent.   
  
Not more than ten minutes later, Serenity heard the   
distinct sound of voices and shuffling feet. With a slight   
whoosh of air, the hatch of the cargo hold opened and old   
Peckhum strode inside, an alien trader at his side.   
  
"So you want the materials in these, then?" The trader   
said to Peckhum in a bored tone. The old pilot nodded. Yes,   
this was what Master Skywalker had ordered.   
  
"Very well then. I shall have my men do it," the alien   
gestured outside the vessel, "Now what do you say to a   
drink?"  
  
  
After Peckhum and the trader had left, Serenity snuck   
silently out of the cargo hold. She had no idea where she   
was, but she felt a feeling of sublime elation as she reveled   
in her cleverness. She had left the Jedi academy right under   
Luke's nose! No early marriage, no more secrets, simply   
freedom! That feeling of serenity that she had longed for   
was hers to claim, and once she could claim a ship, she   
could be off to Earth, to Endymion!   
  
She was so blissfully happy, so full of innocent joy, she   
broke into song. The one thing she had ever really been   
good at. It didn't matter the other things she had failed at,   
she could sing! She could revel in the ecstasy of music and   
harmony, could feel the melody pulsing through her as   
surely as she felt the power and strength of the Force.   
  
Watching her was a man, dark-skinned with a face so   
gnarled and windswept it appeared as if he had lived   
through a thousand battles. A small smile broke across his   
features as he heard her beautiful melody as it issued from   
her delicately painted pink lips. He wanted this woman, this   
woman with the voice of liquid silver, rhythmic and gentle   
and powerful at the same time, with a voice that he felt burn   
inside of him like a flame. Here, on Rhilek Prime, there were   
many restaurants and taverns clambering for beautiful   
creatures with beautiful voices. If he could claim this one, he   
knew his tavern would be the most frequently visited on the   
tiny planet. He decided to approach her.   
  
"Excuse me, miss." He said, as the girl turned blue   
eyes to him, deep, gorgeous eyes that were as blue as the   
oceans. The fullest, deepest, most beautiful and expressive   
eyes he had ever seen, and he had seen many.   
  
"Yes?" Who was this man, wondered Serenity. What   
did he want?   
  
"My name is Shralei. You happen to have a very   
beautiful voice. I was wondering if perhaps you would like to   
join my tavern, singing like that."   
  
Serenity felt delight at his words, wondering if it was   
possible that someone found her singing wonderful. She   
needed money, and someone was willing to allow her to sing   
for it! Singing, her love, her passion, and she could get paid!  
  
"Of course. I would love to."   
  
Shralei smiled. This was excellent.   
"Can you start tonight?"  
  
Serenity's heart beat wildly inside her chest.   
"Definitely."  
  
"Great. Please follow me." Shralei led her off to an   
upper-class tavern on the other side of the city. The streets   
were cleaner here: much less garbage strewn around and   
graffiti on the walls. He led her to a fine-looking place and   
took her around to the back entrance.   
  
Inside, many different aliens of many different species,   
including humans, watched her with interest. She shivered   
as one man, obviously drunk, surveyed her body with a look   
of perverse pleasure. Noting her discomfiture, Shralei called   
for security and had the glutton removed.   
  
Smiling in apology, he opened a door to one of the   
back rooms. It was decorated in shades of cream and blue,   
sheer metallic curtains draped over a window which shown   
to the outside. A large mahogany closet stood at one end of   
the room, a pale blue couch in the center, and a glass and   
black cast-iron vanity against the wall.   
  
"This will be your dressing room, Miss..." Shralei said.   
  
"Kathryn. Kathryn Coatlicue." Serenity said, thinking   
quickly. She didn't want anyone to know her true name, at   
least not yet.   
  
"Well, Kathryn, our last entertainer was a few sizes   
bigger than you, but her wardrobe is still inside the closet.   
There might be a few things in there which could fit you,   
until we have everything resized. You will go on in an hour,   
so I suggest you make yourself sharp." He pointed at a   
reptilian-looking alien at the door with shimmering,   
iridescent violet scales and a snout of sharp fangs.   
  
"Maylar will show you the way to the stage, once you   
are through preparing. Good day, Miss Coatlicue." Without   
another word, Shralei turned and left, closing the door   
behind him.   
  
When he was gone, Serenity let out a breath of sheer   
excitement. With a few leap-like bounds, she had crossed   
the breadth of the dressing room to the closet. With dismay,   
she noticed that most of the gorgeous gowns were twice her   
size. But in the back, barely touched, hung a lone dress of   
sunset gold, shining spaghetti-strapped silk, which fitted her   
perfectly and reached just above her knee.   
  
A glance in the vanity's mirror told her that her hair   
was a mess. Dirt was smudged along her barely tanned   
cheeks, and a cut ran down her lip. And yet, all kinds of   
cosmetics were assorted on top of the clear glass,   
foundations and shadows and lipsticks.   
  
With the gold of the dress, Serenity picked deep,   
garnet-red, metallic rouge for her lips, and cleaned her face.   
Her extremely long hair, which she knew she would cut as   
soon as dawn rose the next day, she brought up to its' usual   
odangos. The only remnant of her life as a princess, the   
glimmering moonstone necklace given her by her mother on   
her sixteenth birthday, hung peacefully within the hollow of   
her throat. She had just finished straightening an errant   
strand of her blonde hair when a knock resounded on her   
door. Taking a deep, calming breath, Serenity laced the   
ankle straps of her sandals and followed the reptilian Maylar   
out into the main room of the tavern, full of the restlessness   
and noise of any club.   
  
Before long, she stood alone on the stage, the   
microphone to her ruby-stained lips and the music playing   
softly in the background. She breathed deeply, taking in the   
skeptical looks of the spectators, and opened her mouth.   
  
  
  
She had written the song herself, felt the words deep   
within her as she had sat, lonely on one of those long nights   
at the academy, thinking of Endymion. Before long, she   
would have the money to raise a ship and venture to Earth,   
but for now...  
  
"Deep in my soul, love so strong, it takes control.  
Now, we both know... The secret's bared, the feelings   
show."  
The music came to intensity, resounding in the ears of   
the listeners, rapt with attention at the wondrous voice of   
the tiny, beautiful woman before them as she sang the   
words with a passion that was rarely seen.  
  
"Driven far apart... I'll make a wish, on a shooting star.   
And there will come a day, somewhere far away, in your   
arms I'll stay... My only love."  
  
Every face in the tavern was fixed to hers, including the   
waiters' and waitresses', the bartender's, whose mug he was   
supposedly filling was pouring into the floor unnoticed, and   
even Shralei's himself.   
  
"Even though you're gone, love will still live on...   
The feeling is so strong, My only love.   
  
"There will come a day, somewhere far away, in your   
arms I'll stay, my only love.   
  
"You've reached the deepest part, of the secret in my   
heart... I've known it from the start, my only love."  
  
Serenity's voice reverberated melodiously throughout   
the halls. "My only love."  
  
The people watching stood so quickly it astounded the   
young princess; bursting into applause so loud it rattled the   
dishes and shook the tables. Serenity smiled with pleasure.  
  
"They like me!" she thought happily. "They really like   
me!"  
  
"Yes, my dear, they really like you." Shralei said with a   
small amount of amusement. He had been right about the   
audience's reactions to Kathryn's voice. She was as good as   
he had believed.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Luke was still astonished at the woman who stood   
resurrected before him. Selene... His one great love... Their   
child, alone in the vast expanse of space...  
  
  
Selene smiled softly at the man who had been her   
lover. The man who was the father of her child. The only   
man she had ever given her heart to.   
  
"Where is Serenity, Luke?" Her voice was as soft as   
Luke remembered it, as even and every word as carefully   
thought out as ever they had been. He smiled ruefully.   
Serenity had none of that carefully planned organization:   
she was as wild, impulsive, and carefree as a young lioness.   
  
Selene knew instinctively something was wrong.   
Perhaps it was in the way Luke's ice-blue eyes carefully   
avoided her darker ones, or the feeling of foreboding that   
seeped into the chamber of the temple.   
  
"Something's wrong Luke. What is it?" Her voice now   
held a tone of urgency. Luke sighed. This would be difficult.   
  
Still avoiding her gaze, Luke said, "Today, during class,   
Serenity learned of the truth, of you and me, and Apollo."  
  
Selene clasped a hand to her mouth, the color receding   
quickly from her ivory skin. Luke reached out, clasped her   
hand in his, and said quietly, "but that's not the worst of it. I   
let her go to her dorm, figuring she needed some time, and   
some rest. However, it appears as if she takes after her   
mother in more ways than one." He smiled bitterly, "She has   
run away. I only just found out, and I have no idea where to   
look."  
  
A horrified expression crept across Selene's face.   
  
"Serenity... Oh, my little girl..." Luke bit his lip until it   
bled, watching the pain running through Selene. Oh, it hurt.   
It hurt to watch her hurt, to watch her feel pain he couldn't   
protect her from.   
  
  
  
"We have to find her." Selene's voice turned distant   
and steely, with all the control and calm of a trained queen.   
Luke nodded.   
  
"Yes. I was about to leave on a search with a few of my   
best students, and Serenity's closest friends, when you   
arrived."  
  
"I'm coming." Selene said rigidly.  
  
"Of course." He gestured to the door. "The Shadow   
Chaser is waiting."  
  
Selene stood and walked swiftly past the Jedi Master, in   
the direction he had indicated. With a sigh, he grabbed a   
jacket from the back of a chair and followed the keeper of   
the Ginzuishou.   
  
  
  
  
  
The chill of the Negaverse was piercing. It infiltrated   
the very core of Zekk's being and seeped inside his soul. A   
soul that should have been blackened by the training of the   
Dark Jedi, but a soul that was instead troubled and   
disturbed. He knew that one day he would have to face his   
old friends Jaina and Jacen once and for all, but at the same   
time he prayed that that time was far in the future.   
  
Jedite watched the young Jedi scornfully. This little   
human kid was to be a great part in the Queen's plans of   
conquest, but not him. No, not he, not one of her grand   
generals who had spent his entire lifetime in service to her   
every whim, but this streetwise brat who happened to   
possess the abilities of the Jedi.   
  
"Jedite!" The roar resounded throughout Beryl's Dark   
palace. Even well trained soldiers trembled slightly at the   
sound of Her Dark power. It was a terrifying power, a power   
that only the Moon Kingdom's Ginzuishou could defeat. A   
power that was captured at the moment by a weak queen.   
Selenity would fall to Beryl, Jedite knew, and the Dark forces   
of the Negaforce would consume the world of love and light   
in the Universe.   
  
  
"Yes, my Queen?" asked Jedite, bowing low to the   
violet-clad woman with the fiery red hair. She smiled coldly   
at him over the top of her crystal ball, the crystal that could   
see all the workings of her minions, and sometimes the   
world above.   
  
"Did you bring him as I ordered, Jedite?" Beryl's voice   
was silky smooth, dripping with evil menace.   
  
"Yes, my Queen." He indicated Zekk, who bowed before   
Beryl, his scarlet-lined cape swirling behind him.   
  
"Ahh, Zekk." She said, eyeing the young Jedi with a   
faint smile. "I sent for you because you will be important to   
me. There is a girl, a girl you should know, a good friend of   
your old friend Jaina. Serenity."  
  
Zekk stiffened at the mention of Jaina. He hadn't seen   
her in a long, long time. And they used to be so close...   
  
  
  
  
"Serenity is the daughter of Queen Selenity, the only   
one who binds my wonderful Dark power within this   
Negaverse with her damn Moon Crystal, that blasted   
Ginzuishou.  
  
"Recently, Serenity learned of a secret to her past and   
has run away. She is vulnerable, and weak. I am trusting   
you to use your wit and charm to succumb her to you.   
Seduce her, play with her if you like. But bring her to me."   
Beryl's voice was as cold and harsh as ever.   
  
"Yes, my Queen." Zekk bowed as low as Jedite had   
done, before turning and leaving through the portal. He was   
to find this Serenity and bring her to Beryl to be part of the   
Queen's plans of conquest. And he knew it was of his utmost   
duty to free Beryl from her confines. It was why he had been   
chosen. Chosen to serve the darkest power known. To serve   
the Negaforce.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Endymion was as restless as ever. Lately he had had   
this feeling of dread, of unspeakable evil. He had felt it in   
the very air, scenting it on the wind, feeling it deep inside   
himself. His gaze lingered on a picture standing on a table   
across the room. It was a picture of him and Serenity,   
during the long-ago month when they had been together. He   
smiled. Serenity... He sorely missed his Usa-chan. She   
would be twenty now, he reasoned, almost twenty-one. Old   
enough for marriage...  
  
  
But would she? Would her parents let her, if she so   
chose? Is it what he wanted?   
  
"Yes," he thought, "It is what I want. It is what I have   
wanted all this time, since that first day in the garden. It is   
what is meant to be."  
  
And yet that feeling of dread persisted; that feeling of   
dark evil, swarming over Elysian. Coming ever closer,   
smothering the populace. And with his thoughts of Serenity,   
part of the mysterious foreboding was revealed.   
  
"Kami-sama! Usako is in danger! I must find her!"   
Endymion said loudly. Helios, who was nearby, heard his   
prince's shout and ran over.   
  
"What is it, Prince?" His pale blue eyes were shadowed   
in anxiety as he studied Endymion.   
  
"Serenity is in danger, and so is the rest of the   
Universe."   
Helios looked at him disbelievingly.   
  
"Don't ask me how I know, Helios, but I do. I can feel   
it. We must find some way to call the Inner Senshi and   
search for Serenity."  
  
Helios nodded understanding. "Yes, Prince. I too have   
felt the Dark power creeping over our lands, coming ever   
closer to the Princess. We must protect her."  
  
"Exactly my thoughts, Helios. Where are the Senshi?"  
  
Helios indicated a subspace arch, which, when   
activated, allowed instant access to any planet in the Silver   
Millennium, to any other subspace arch. It appeared to be   
only a white wicker garden arch, but had an eerie blue light   
emanating from it. The device itself had been a wondrous   
invention of Pluto's, who was tired of the Senshi's constant   
need for teleport and the mass use of shuttles for visiting   
other cities in the realm.   
  
"They should be at Queen Selenity's palace."  
  
"Well then, Helios, what are we waiting for?"   
Endymion strode confidently through the subspace arch,   
formed the telepathic link, and was transported instantly to   
the subspace arch in Serenity's own private lily garden,   
Helios following behind.   
  
No sooner had he stepped out of the arch, than was   
Endymion surrounded by four very angry-looking women in   
very short skirts. The Senshi.   
  
"Who are you to enter Princess Serenity's private   
grounds?" The one nearest to him said in a voice of bossy   
authority. Her hair was raven-black, hanging loosely to the   
top of her thighs. She wore a red and violet fuku, and glared   
at him through violet eyes.   
  
"I am Endymion, Prince of Earth. Your princess is in   
grave danger."  
  
"What? Serenity's in trouble?" Another Senshi said with   
concern. She had blonde hair as long as the first's, with pale   
blue eyes, and wore an orange, blue, and yellow fuku.   
  
"He could be a spy." The third Senshi said harshly. She   
glared suspiciously at him with bright green eyes. Her   
shining brown hair was pulled high into a ponytail, and her   
fuku was in shades of pink and green.   
  
"I assure you, Senshi, I am no spy. I am who I say I   
am, and I am here to help Serenity." Endymion was   
beginning to grow annoyed with the young women before   
him.  
  
"I believe him." The last of the Senshi watched him   
with kind, deep blue eyes. Her hair was, unlike the others,   
cut short and held a bluish tint. Her fuku, too, was in shades   
of blue.   
  
"How do you know, Mercury?" The raven-haired Senshi   
said in a frustrated manner to her blue-clad teammate.   
  
"Look at his eyes. He sincerely wants to help Usa-chan.   
Besides, why would a spy use a subspace arch to get into   
Usako's private gardens? The telepathic link will not work if   
you do not know where you are going. Usa-chan must have   
brought him here before. Did she?" Mercury asked, turning   
to Endymion. He nodded.   
  
"Once, a long time ago."  
  
The blonde turned warm eyes and a gentle smile to him   
then.   
"So then Usa-chan must have trusted you. And   
therefore we shall trust you."  
  
"I'm not so sure that's wise, Venus." The Senshi with   
the red and violet fuku snapped.   
  
"Mind your mouth, Mars! With both the Queen and   
Princess gone, I am in command." The blonde glared at the   
raven-haired Senshi, who Endymion and Helios now knew as   
Mars.   
  
"My question is what type of danger the Princess might   
be in. Can you tell me that, Endymion-san?" The brunette   
asked. Endymion shook his head.   
  
"The specific danger surrounding Serenity I do not   
know. All I have is a feeling, a feeling which is telling me   
that she is in serious trouble."  
  
  
  
"You mean like a psychic sense? Mars has a   
psychic sense. Have you felt anything, Mars?"   
  
"Actually, Jupiter, I have. Nothing specific, but a feeling   
of dread. Of foreboding and Darkness. Of intense evil."  
  
"That's exactly it. And it is centered around Serenity.   
I'm sure of it!" There was a slight flush coming to   
Endymion's face as he was overwhelmed by worry for   
Serenity. All the Senshi looked at him, the same feelings of   
concern and anxiety mirrored on their faces.   
  
"We have to find the Princess." Venus said, as pale as a   
sheet.   
  
"But she left to that academy... And Queen Selenity   
went to her! The Queen must be in danger as well..." Mars   
added.   
  
"Let's get Uranus and Neptune. If we're to save the   
Queen and Princess, we can't do it alone. Saturn can   
manage the Outer Realm, and Pluto the Inner Realm. Apollo   
will be quite capable of handling the Moon Kingdom alone."   
Jupiter almost spat the name of her King. Apparently she   
didn't hold him in high regard.   
  
"Of course. I can contact them using my   
communicator." Mercury pulled out a compact, flipped open   
the lid, punched a few buttons, and began speaking.   
  
"Uranus? Neptune? Can you teleport here right away?   
The Queen and the Princess are in danger... We must help   
them!" Endymion was astonished to see the faces of two   
other Senshi in the compact where a mirror would normally   
be.   
  
  
A few moments later, two new Senshi had arrived   
through the subspace arch. They were both tall, but one   
towered. She had light blonde hair cut very short and fierce   
eyes. Her navy and yellow fuku looked menacing.   
  
Her partner was gentler-looking. Smaller, with   
shoulder-length wavy bluish hair, and deep, understanding   
blue eyes, her fuku was in shades of dark blue and aqua.   
  
  
"Uranus! Neptune! This is Endymion, Prince of Earth,"   
Venus said, indicating him, "Endymion, this is Sailor Uranus   
and Sailor Neptune of the Outer Realm."  
  
Endymion bowed his head slightly in respect.   
"Pleasure to meet you. However, there are more   
pressing matters at hand..." he trailed.   
  
"Of course," Uranus said sharply. She was almost as   
tall as he, and towered over Helios' slight frame.   
  
"We must protect our Queen and our Princess."   
Neptune said softly, in a voice a smooth and melodious as   
flowing water.   
  
"Then you have a difficult task ahead of you." The   
Senshi, Endymion, and Helios turned to look at two other   
newcomers. One was tall, with green-tinted hair that hung   
to her knees, and mysterious-looking blue eyes. Her fuku   
was in shades of green and black, and she carried an   
intimidating staff with a ruby-red jewel at it's top, cradled by   
a heart. The other was tiny, with ebony hair that came   
straight to her chin and dark violet eyes that appeared as if   
they saw and knew everything at once. She wore a violet   
and black fuku, and carried an ominous-looking scythe.   
  
  
  
  
"Pluto..." Mars said in a voice barely above a whisper.   
  
"Saturn..." said Neptune in a voice of reverence and   
awe.   
  
"Yes. The princess and the Queen are both in great   
danger. The wicked Queen of the Negaverse, Beryl, has   
broken free of her seal. Even now her knights of the Dark   
Side have infiltrated our peaceful Universe, spreading havoc,   
death, and destruction." Pluto said.   
  
Saturn spoke, in a voice quiet but full of knowledge,   
authority, and power. "It is the power of the Queen's   
Ginzuishou which has locked her Darkness within the   
Negaverse for centuries. During this time, she has meditated   
on little else but revenge. She is intensely powerful, and will   
try to bring the Queen, the Princess, and our Alliance to   
ruin. We must stop her and protect our future."  
  
"Is it that bad, then, Saturn?"   
  
"Most certainly, Uranus. Now go, all of you, find our   
Princess and our Queen. Save our future. The fate of the   
Universe rests within you."  
  
The Senshi joined hands, and Mercury motioned for   
Endymion and Helios to do the same. Endymion held the   
hand of Uranus, and Helios of Mercury. Then the Senshi   
began to chant:  
  
"Sailor Power- Teleport!" They said as one. A glowing   
light erupted from each woman, and in seconds they had all   
vanished.   
  
  
  
  
  
Serenity had been working for Shralei's tavern for a   
few weeks now. It seemed as if her singing was extremely   
popular; or at least that was what Shralei said.   
  
She examined herself in the mirror, running her slender   
fingers through her now short golden blonde hair, which had   
been cut to her chin in a Cleopatra-type bob. Serenity loved   
it. It made her look older, more mature, less innocent and   
kittenish. That and her now garnet-toned lips. She had   
never been much of one for cosmetics on the moon, and had   
had no need of them at her father's academy, but now she   
adored them. There wasn't a day gone by that she didn't   
have garnet-red lips. Dark, glittery, a deep and luscious   
jewel-toned red...  
  
She puckered to the mirror. Yes, her lips looked great.   
Deep and mysterious, like a golden temptress...  
  
What would her father say if he saw her now?   
"Oh, yes," she laughed, "How un-ladylike. How disappointing   
for a princess. But then, I'm not truly a princess now, am I?  
  
"That and Apollo isn't my father. Master Skywalker   
is." She sighed. "I suppose it wasn't fair to him to get so   
angry and leave. None of them have any idea where I've   
gone, how I'm doing, or what. How extremely selfish of me."  
  
She checked her chronometer. "I've another show in   
about a half hour. Perhaps after then I can arrange a small   
amount of leave and Shralei could let me visit them, one last   
time, to properly say goodbye."  
  
  
  
  
Her heart weighed heavily with guilt, Serenity, or   
Kathryn as she was now called, walked across her dressing   
room to her wardrobe. All the clothes had been refitted to   
cling perfectly to her petite features, and she loved them all.   
  
Tonight, she knew she would wear one of her favorites.   
It was a deep, glittering garnet-red that matched her best   
lipstick. It hung from a halter at her neck, following the   
curves of her body until it flared slightly at her ankles. The   
back was deep-cut to contrast the high neckline of the   
halter, and she slipped her delicate-looking feet into   
strapped heels.   
  
Maylar was waiting outside for her, and together the   
two of them walked to the back entrance of the stage.   
Serenity had become good friends with the kind-hearted   
reptilian woman, and it had become a tradition of sorts to   
walk together before she was to perform. As she stepped   
behind the stage, she paused, listening to the crowd outside.   
  
"It's a loud one tonight." She said quietly. Maylar   
nodded.   
  
"Yes, it is. But you should have no trouble wooing them   
over, my dear. You look positively breathtaking in that   
dress."  
  
"Thanks, Maylar. If you wouldn't mind, can you please   
find Shralei? I would really like to speak with him after the   
performance." Serenity said.   
  
"Of course, my dear. Now go knock 'em dead!"   
  
"That's the plan, Maylar," Serenity laughed, "That's the   
plan."  
  
  
  
  
Shralei was tending the bar when the newcomers   
strode in. Classy, they were. The type to buy the expensive   
drinks. He would serve them personally.  
  
Three women, two men, and a Wookiee. You didn't   
often get Wookiees on Rhilek Prime. This must be a traveling   
party, eager to stop for a drink and a rest before continuing   
on some intergalactic journey. Oh, well. It wasn't any of his   
business, so long as they paid well.  
  
"How may I help you?" he said to the first man, who   
appeared to be their leader. The man appraised him coolly   
with light blue eyes.   
  
"A table, please. A few drinks, as well. We've had a   
long journey."   
  
Shralei almost snickered. He had been right, after all.   
  
"This way." Once they were all seated, he took drink   
and meal orders. He was right again. They were the classy   
type.   
  
Luke watched the bartender convey some secret   
amusement, then smile proudly as a young woman   
ascended the stage. A woman with piercingly familiar ocean-  
blue eyes...  
  
"Blaster bolts! Uncle Luke, it's Serenity!" Jacen gasped.   
  
With the grace of a panther, Serenity moved to the   
microphone and raised it to her garnet-stained lips.   
  
"Good evening, everyone. I trust you are all enjoying   
yourselves?" The excited roar reaching her ears caused   
Serenity to laugh with amusement.   
  
"I'll take that as a yes. I want to thank you all for   
taking the time to be here. It's doubtless that Shralei and   
my paycheck appreciate it," she said, still laughing good-  
naturedly.   
  
"Well," she said, as the band behind her began to play,  
"I've heard this song before, and I like it. I hope you   
can all appreciate it as much as I enjoy singing it."  
  
"When I'm lost...in the rain...In your eyes I know I'll   
find the light, to light my way..."  
  
"Wow," Jaina murmured, "I never knew she could sing   
like that."  
  
Selene nodded softly, a twinge of sadness and guilt on   
her features.   
"Yes, it has always been a talent for her. One I should   
have let her indulge more in, along with other things..."  
  
Luke gently laid a hand on Selene's. The twins   
exchanged a glance; they now knew the history between the   
two.   
"You can't change the past, Selene, but you can work   
toward a better future."  
  
Selenity sighed. "You're right."  
  
"When I'm scared... Losing ground... When my world is   
going crazy, you can turn it all around. And when I'm down   
you're there pushing me to the top. You're always there   
giving me all you've got!" Serenity's voice resounded   
through the tavern and within the now silent and awed   
audience's ears, reaching a fever and passion with the   
words.   
  
Luke, Selene, and the young Jedi Knights sat there,   
staring open-mouthed, Tenel Ka the only exception. She   
watched Serenity as she sang, only a faint smile on her lips.   
Even Em-Teedee had not taken his electronic gaze off of the   
garnet-clad woman.   
  
"For a shield, from the storm...For a friend, for a love   
to keep me safe and warm...I turn to you. For the strength,   
to be strong... For the will to carry on, for everything you   
do, for everything that's true...I turn to you."   
  
As she scanned the faces rapt with attention, Serenity   
noticed a few shockingly familiar ones. Her mother, her   
father, her friends were here! She met Luke's eyes, and he   
gave her a small smile, part apology, part silent support.   
And she returned it with a warm grin.   
  
"When I lose the will to win... I just reach for you and I   
can reach the sky again! I can do... anything! 'Cuz your love   
is so amazing... 'Cuz your love inspires me... And when I   
need a friend, you're always on my side...Giving me faith,   
taking me through the night!"  
  
Serenity's voice resounded clearly throughout the   
tavern, forcefully and powerfully hitting each note and   
mesmerizing all who could listen.   
  
"For a shield, from the storm...For a friend, For a love   
to keep me safe and warm, I turn to you. For the strength,   
to be strong, for the will to carry on...   
  
"For everything you do, for everything that's true, I   
turn to you.  
  
"For the arms to be my shelter through all the rain; For   
truth that will never change; for someone to lean on! For a   
heart I can rely on through anything...For the one I can run   
to!   
  
"For a shield from the storm, for a friend, for a love to   
keep me safe and warm, I turn to you. For the strength to   
be strong, for the will to carry on, For everything you do, for   
everything that's true,   
  
"For everything you do, for everything that's true, I   
turn to you." Her voice hit that last note with a sensitivity   
and passion as it reverberated throughout the halls, settling   
itself in the hearts and souls of every creature, human and   
alien, in the tavern.   
  
Then suddenly, every being in that hall stood and gave   
Serenity a standing ovation. Smiling shyly, she did a small   
bow and walked off through the back entrance. She did a   
loop-around and came over to her family and friends' table   
and sat down exhaustedly. Her legs ached from the effort of   
her singing, and she was breathing hard. Without preamble,   
she nodded apology and grabbed her mother's water and   
drank thirstily.   
  
"Thirsty?" Jacen asked with raised eyebrow.   
  
Serenity felt the flush as it crept up her neck and   
burned her ears. She suddenly became very interested in an   
insect crawling around the floor as she felt the eyes of all   
she had left behind watching her closely.   
  
"Why, Serenity?" Selene asked, in a voice that sounded   
heartbroken.   
  
Serenity looked up, the fire back in her eye.   
"You well know why, Mother," she said, her voice   
tinged with ferocity.   
  
"I'm sorry I lied to you all these years, I should have   
told you the truth..." Selene was using all her strength to   
hold back the tears.   
  
  
  
"We all make mistakes, Mother," Serenity said, and her   
voice was firm and gentle, understanding and forgiving.   
  
"She has absorbed more from her Jedi training besides   
resourcefulness," Luke thought.   
  
"And, in reality, that wasn't what bothered me. What   
bothered me, and still does to an extent, was how you   
knew, you knew how Apollo treated me, and you did   
nothing. You were too wrapped up in your own misery to   
stop and notice anyone else's." When Luke watched his   
daughter speak of the bitterness of her past, he saw that   
same determined, fiery look in her features she had worn   
when she first came to his academy.   
  
"That is not true. That is completely, totally unfair."   
Selene growled at her daughter. "I was teaching you.   
Teaching you to be a queen."  
  
"By ignoring me?! By letting that man who   
masqueraded as my father humiliate and belittle me? I don't   
believe it!" Luke turned his gaze away at his daughter's   
outburst of pent-up fury.   
  
"He loved you! He was doing the same as I, trying   
to prepare you for your destiny as Queen!" Selene's voice   
was as loud and angry as Serenity's.   
  
"Loved me? Hah! As if he even knew the meaning   
of the word! In his eyes, I was nothing but the mistake that   
never should have happened. And as he so often informed   
me, that even if I absolutely had to be born, I should have   
been a boy because only a prince can properly rule a   
kingdom!"  
  
"He never said such a thing!"  
  
  
"Look at yourself! Look how you defend him! And I   
thought you hated him because he took you away from the   
life, the man you would have chosen for your future! You   
never stop to consider what he might have done to me, how   
much he hated me, because even now you're too self-  
absorbed!"  
  
The young Jedi Knights and Luke Skywalker were trying   
to look away and leave the pair to their discussion, but to   
little avail. Jaina noticed with a pang of her heart the tear   
that slid unbidden down her best friend's cheek as she faced   
her mother.   
  
"How dare you! I love you; I only wanted to protect   
you! Why do you think I sent you to Luke's academy?"  
  
"Protect me from what? What's the real reason   
you never allowed me to go anywhere, the real reason I was   
sixteen before I had the nerve to run away and see Earth?"  
  
"Because," Selene said softly, as the tears poured down   
her cheeks, "I didn't want what happened to me to happen   
to you. You have a duty, Serenity. It's best you accept it   
early and come back with me, rather than face the hard   
choices I had to make."  
  
"Too late, Mother. I ran away from the Jedi   
academy because I'm tired of having my life lived for me. I   
am a free person, and will make my own choices."  
  
"But you are a princess, Serenity. You have a duty   
to uphold!"  
  
"Let Mars or Venus be heir. They've trained for it as   
well as I, and they won't fight you."  
  
  
"But Serenity, it's in your blood. It's your birthright."  
  
"So is the Force. And from now on I am making my   
own choices. I will not be a pawn any longer. You, nor   
Apollo, nor anyone else will so much as decide how I wear   
my hair, and much less who and when I marry."  
  
"But Serenity..."  
  
"Serenity..." Luke's voice was low, "Think this over.   
Don't make any hasty decisions."  
  
"Don't any of you understand?! I have thought this   
through! I have thought it through for eight years! I am in   
love, Mother!"  
  
Selene's jaw dropped, and she gazed at Luke with a   
despairing look.   
  
"You used to know what that meant. If you truly love   
me, and want me to be happy, let me be free. I've been a   
caged animal far too long. I'll never be happy trapped inside   
that marble prison you call a palace, and I never have been.   
  
"Please, Mother," Serenity said, turning her ocean-blue   
eyes to Selene's, all her anger abated, "I'm not a child   
anymore. You used to trust me, now I ask that you trust me   
once more. Trust me to make the right choices, or at least   
try. And, perhaps, in time, what you want and what I want   
will become the same."  
  
"Oh, Serenity." Selene reached up and held her   
daughter firmly while the others looked on.   
  
"Hey, wanna hear a joke?" Jacen asked. He waggled his   
eyebrows comically, hopefully. Lowie groaned. Jaina sighed.   
Luke gazed at him hopelessly.   
  
Jacen raised his arms in defense. "Hey! They aren't all   
that bad. "What did the deranged stormtrooper say to his   
leader after a battle with the New Republic?" He paused, and   
then said, "I'm all cracked up! Get it? All cracked up?"   
Silence permeated the atmosphere.   
  
"You people are hopeless when it comes to humor," he   
grumbled.   
  
"Hey," Serenity said, breaking the silence, "I'm going to   
change. This dress is killing me."  
  
"I just noticed," Jaina said, an expression of slight   
puzzlement on her features, "You've cut your hair."  
  
Serenity smiled, her garnet-red lips glittering in the   
artificial light.   
  
"Yeah," said Jacen, "It's a lot shorter than it used to   
be."  
"This is a fact," stated Tenel Ka. Lowie emitted a gruff   
woof. "Master Lowbacca wishes to say that although it is   
most definitely unusual, Mistress Serenity's haircut is indeed   
pleasing." Em-Teedee translated.   
  
Serenity did a small twirl for those seated at the table.   
She flashed her mother and friends a mischievous grin.   
"I told you I was going to have it cut off," she said to   
Jaina.   
  
"When ya said you were gonna chop it off, you really   
meant it," her friend replied.   
  
"Oh, I definitely meant it. And I also meant it when I   
said I was going to change, but that was fifteen minutes   
ago," Serenity laughed. "I'll be right back." She turned and   
left her mother and the Jedi behind as she walked out of the   
tavern's main room, the deep red dress swirling around her   
as she moved.   
  
  
Once she had changed the dress for a turquoise shirt   
and black pants, Serenity glanced at where her family and   
friends were gathered, watching the next performer; a droid   
who was juggling tankards of ale while emitting a high-  
pitched whine which Serenity supposed to be song. The   
crowd revolted. Food flew, alcoholic beverages spewed, the   
tavern became chaos. Rowdy and noisy as any common   
space bar. This Shralei would not tolerate. His was a classier   
institution. He would not allow for such childish behavior.   
  
She strode to where she had left Luke and the   
others, but was intercepted by a young man with long dark   
hair tied neatly at his neck and glittering emerald eyes.   
  
"Hello," Serenity said cheerfully.   
  
"I saw your performance," Zekk said, his voice low.   
Serenity watched him uncomfortably, her senses acutely   
aware of the warnings she felt through the Force. There was   
definitely something wrong here; she would have to get   
away as quickly as possible.   
  
"You're not going anywhere, princess." Zekk sneered.   
Serenity felt the waistband of her pants, mentally cursing   
herself for being so stupid as to forget her lightsaber.   
  
"Did you forget your lightsaber, princess? Don't worry,   
I brought mine," Zekk's voice was lingering and dangerous   
in her ear. Suddenly she felt something cold and metallic   
against her midriff. Zekk's lightsaber.   
  
"Don't move, or I turn it on. You and I both know what   
will happen then," he snarled. "Now, walk with me." He   
roughly grabbed her arm and led her outside, to where a   
small lake glittered in the distance. A portal, swirling and   
sickeningly black opened for the Dark Jedi and his hostage.   
Still holding her roughly, he pushed her through and stepped   
in himself. Beryl would be pleased.   
  
  
  
Meanwhile, at the table, all the Jedi jerked to attention.   
They had all felt it; that surge of Dark power running   
throughout the tavern. It was unmistakable; a Dark Jedi had   
been here. As one they stood, senses tuned to the Force to   
sense from which the evil had come. Selene, too, stood,   
glancing between them with a look of utmost worry on her   
features.   
  
"What's the matter, Luke?" she asked, urgency in her   
voice.   
  
"I'm not sure," the Jedi Master replied, "but there was   
a Dark presence here. Of that I am certain."  
  
"Queen Selenity!" Selene whirled around to see the   
Senshi, Endymion, and Helios running up to her.   
  
"Kami-sama! What are you all doing here? How on   
Earth did you find me?!" Selene asked incredulously.  
  
"Where is the princess?" Uranus asked harshly.   
  
"We're too late..." Neptune moaned.   
  
"What do you mean, too late?" Luke asked fiercely.   
"What is wrong with Serenity?"  
  
"Who are you?" Mars said snootily.   
"I am Luke Skywalker. I could ask the same of you."  
  
Selene intervened. "These are the Senshi, Luke.   
Sublime warriors of the Milky Way. Why are you searching   
for my daughter?" Selene asked Venus.   
  
  
"The princess is in grave danger. Beryl, Dark and   
despicable Queen of the Negaverse, has escaped   
confinement. She intends to exact her revenge on the Moon   
Kingdom, beginning with Usa-chan." Venus said solemnly.   
  
"Beryl has escaped?!" Selene cupped a hand to her   
mouth.   
  
"Who is Beryl?" Luke asked his old lover.   
  
"Beryl is the Queen of all Darkness. She presides over   
the Negaverse, where the Darkness originated. Not only   
does she command the Dark Jedi, including the old Emperor   
Palpatine, but she also has an army of immensely powerful   
warriors bred to her service within the Negaverse's realm."   
Selene finished, her face paler than Luke had ever seen it.   
  
"If she is after Serenity...Luke, we must save our   
daughter!" He nodded. The Senshi, who had watched the   
entire scene, exchanged confused glances.   
  
"Senshi," she said to her soldiers, "you know what we   
must do." They nodded. From within the folds of her khaki   
pants, Selene withdrew the Imperium Silver Crystal, held   
snugly within the crescent of the Crescent Moon Wand. She   
gripped its smooth pink handle tightly as she said,  
  
"Cosmic Moon Power!" At once, a mist of shimmering   
silver light erupted from the crystal, engulfing Selene to the   
spectators' awe. Her outfit changed in a burst of pink   
ribbons to the white gown of Queen Selenity.   
  
  
  
When it was complete, her feet gently touched the floor   
of Shralei's tavern once more and she opened her azure   
eyes to gaze around at the confused people surrounding her.   
  
"We must join together if we are to save my daughter.   
The power of the Ginzuishou will transport us to Beryl's   
realm. Grasp hands, everyone," The queen held her arms   
out to those surrounding her, and they all, Senshi, Jedi, and   
prince, clasped hands to form a giant circle. Selene   
concentrated deeply in the crystal, felt its mystical power,   
and they were transported to the bleak and dark world of   
the Negaverse.  
  
  
  
  
Serenity landed with a hard thud on the icy floor of   
Beryl's throne room. The evil woman smiled cruelly at the   
satisfying snap of bone as the girl's left ankle turned in an   
angle it had never been meant to do.   
  
"So glad you could join us, princess." Beryl's tone was   
silky. Her hands moved continuously over a dark ball of   
crystal, her long red hair flowing behind her very tight violet   
dress.   
  
"Who are you?" Serenity asked, as her entire body   
tingled with the warnings of the Force. This was truly a Dark   
place.   
"Where am I?"  
  
"Me?" Beryl laughed. Beside her, Jedite and Zekk   
smiled coldly at the form of the moon princess.   
  
"Zekk, where are our manners? Help the princess to   
her feet," ordered Beryl. Zekk walked calmly forward, and   
jerked Serenity upright. She bit back an outcry as she was   
forced to stand upon her broken ankle. Beryl gave a   
malicious smile at the princess's obvious pain and   
discomfort.   
  
"I am Beryl, mighty Queen of all darkness! Welcome to   
my Negaverse, princess. Here soon, when your beloved   
mother comes to your rescue, I shall claim the Ginzuishou   
and reign as proper ruler of all the Universe!"   
  
"You're insane. My mother would never give you the   
Ginzuishou!" Serenity hissed, both in pain and in anger. But   
she pushed the anger aside. No, she could not afford to be   
angry. Anger led to the Dark side. That she could not allow.   
  
Instead, a wave of calm flowed through her,   
strengthening her with the power and cool clarity of the   
Force. She wished again that she had not been so foolish as   
to forget her weapon.   
  
Tendrils of crackling black energy issued from Beryl's   
claw-like fingers, and shot towards Serenity. Using the   
Force, she managed to avoid them, but fell helplessly back   
on her injured ankle. A grin of satisfaction turned the Dark   
Queen's lips as another jet of the dark power surged   
towards the White Moon Princess.   
  
Serenity felt it when Beryl's power hit her. Pain like she   
had never thought possible burned her entire body. She   
couldn't move, couldn't do anything but feel the pain. Her   
mind screamed in physical anguish, and it took all her   
strength to keep her mouth and voice from doing the same.   
  
"Does it hurt, White Moon Princess? Do you feel the   
pain?" Beryl whispered. Even through all her suffering,   
Serenity managed to look up at the Dark Queen with a look   
of pity in her eyes.   
  
"I pity you," she breathed. Her sapphire eyes locked   
unflinchingly into the Dark One's own.   
  
Beryl laughed. "You, who I shall kill myself, you pity   
me?" Her voice was full of condescending mockery.  
  
"Poor little princess. Save your pity for yourself. You'll   
need it," she added menacingly.   
  
"Yes, I pity you. You, who have never known the joy of   
love or how wonderful it is to love someone." Serenity stood,   
shakily at first, but gradually stronger to face Beryl. The evil   
queen's face contorted with fury and hate as she gazed   
down at the figure of Serenity.   
  
In the doorway, the Senshi and the young Jedi Knights   
along with Luke Skywalker, Endymion, and Helios appeared.   
Each of the Jedi had lightsabers drawn, prepared to face   
Beryl and rescue their friend.   
  
"Serenity!" Jacen called. The golden-haired princess   
turned to her cousin as he threw something for her to catch.   
Catch it she did, running her fingers along its smooth, black   
surface made of polished onyx. Engraved at its hilt were the   
symbols for the planets of her solar system, link to her   
heritage as its princess. Her lightsaber.   
  
With a soft hum she ignited it, finding strength within   
its energy blade, as iridescent in color as the moonstone   
which powered it. Rainbow flecks of color ran through the   
blade as she brought it down in front of her, prepared to   
confront her greatest enemy.   
  
"My, my, now this is an interesting turn of events.   
Zekk," Beryl said to the Dark Jedi at her side, "please take   
care of these young Jedi upstarts.  
"Ah, Queen Selenity." Beryl said with a look of Dark   
satisfaction. "At last we meet." With a mere wave of her   
hand, crystals of ice rose from the floor of her cavern to   
surround and capture each of the Senshi.   
  
  
"Uranus World Shaking!"  
  
"Neptune Deep Submerge!"  
  
"Mars flame ignite!"  
  
"Venus crescent beam smash!"  
  
"Jupiter thunder crash!"  
  
"Mercury bubbles blast!"  
  
But the Senshi's attacks were no match for the Dark   
Queen's Negaforce. Each was enveloped within the icy   
shroud of the crystals.   
  
"Senshi! NO!!!" Serenity yelled. The look of horror in   
her sapphire eyes was mirrored in her mother's.  
  
"What have you done to them, fiend?!" Selene roared   
angrily. Beryl smiled smugly.   
  
"Oh, nothing unlike what I shall do to you," She waved   
her hand again, and the same crystals encased Queen   
Selenity.   
  
"Mother!!" Serenity cried, despair in her voice as her   
left ankle once again refused to hold her weight. She quickly   
turned off the lightsaber before she once more hit the icy   
floor. Seeing her on the ground, Beryl no longer paid any   
attention to the princess. Instead, her gaze was fastened on   
her dark Jedi. Seizing her opportunity, Serenity scrambled to   
where her mother had fallen and snatched up quickly the   
Ginzuishou before Beryl noticed. She fell again, this time not   
bothering to bite back the pain shooting through her broken   
ankle.   
"Usako!" Endymion yelled, as he raced past the   
Negaverse guards and Zekk to reach his beloved.   
  
"Mamo-chan!" Serenity breathed, her voice choking   
with the pain. Gently, Endymion scooped the princess into   
his arms, holding her snugly.   
  
"Don't worry, Usako. We'll find a way out of this, I'm   
sure of it." He attempted a reassuring smile, which did not   
help her in the least.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, Zekk was facing off against his old friends   
once and for all. Momentarily stunned when Selene had   
been captured, Luke dived in front of his students in an   
effort to protect them from the Dark powers the other Jedi   
wielded.   
  
"Master Skywalker," Zekk whispered, his throat tight   
with physical exertion, "It shall be a pleasure eliminating you   
for my Queen, once and for all."  
  
"Don't bet on it yet, Zekk," The Jedi Master said as his   
emerald blade locked and sizzled against Zekk's scarlet.   
  
"So you are that blasted Jedi Master who foiled dear old   
Palpatine?" Beryl said, her voice smooth and silky with   
victory. "The father to the pretty little princess who set the   
trap for dear Queen Selenity?"  
  
Luke glanced between the crystal-encased form of   
Selene and the evil queen Beryl, hatred blazing in his ice-  
blue eyes.   
  
"Hate me for what I did to your love? Don't worry, you   
can join her." Beryl was brimming with evil pleasure as she   
sent the crystal to encase Luke, who dodged it using the   
Force and his lightsaber. A type of bored power was   
displayed on the wicked woman's features as the crystals   
continued to surround the Jedi Master until he was encased   
within them and could fight no more, consciousness lost in   
stasis.   
  
"Uncle Luke!" Jaina and Jacen yelled simultaneously.   
  
"Master Skywalker!" Tenel Ka shouted.   
  
Lowbacca roared in outrage.   
  
"Yes Master Lowbacca! This is horrendous!" Em-Teedee   
cried.   
  
"Father..." Serenity whispered, before the pain and   
suffering Beryl had inflicted upon her took over and she   
drooped, unconscious, on Endymion's shoulder.   
  
"I can't believe you, Zekk," Jaina said, her tone   
heartbroken.   
  
"Believe it, Jaina. I told you on Kashyyyk that my   
allegiance was to the Second Imperium and the Darkness. I   
almost killed you during that raid, but I decided to spare you   
on account of the friendship we once had. Now, I will not do   
the same." He brought his scarlet lightsaber blade in front of   
him, its glow eerily lighting his features. "Don't try for your   
lightsaber, Jaina," he warned, twitching the blade side to   
side.   
  
"And I told you on that day on Kashyyyk; I will not   
raise a weapon against you, Zekk." Jaina stared at him   
coolly, her fingers never straying to the black handle of her   
lightsaber clipped to her belt. "And I still don't believe that   
you would kill me, either," she added, her voice carrying   
much more courage than she felt.   
  
  
"Don't test my loyalties, Jaina. You've lost; Queen   
Selenity and her pathetic Senshi have already been   
captured, and so has the great Master Skywalker." He   
sneered.   
  
"We have to go! We can fight later!" Helios yelled at   
Jaina, who was still locked in a deadly standstill with the   
Dark Jedi Zekk.   
  
"Come on! Let's get out of here while we still can!"   
yelled Endymion, Serenity still cradled in his arms.   
  
Reluctantly, the other young Jedi Knights turned and   
followed the prince and the keeper of dreams out of a   
twisting pathway as it led back to the safety of the Universe,   
away from the dark and treacherous realm of the   
Negaverse, Beryl's condescending laughter in their ears.   
  
"Run away, little ones! You've lost! The Keeper of the   
Ginzuishou is at my mercy. You shall all die in due time,   
starting with your pretty little princess." Beryl snarled, her   
voice laced with the happiness of victory.   
  
  
Once back within the realm of the New Republic, the   
young Jedi Knights and their guests came to rest once more   
at the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4. They were all resting,   
healing their wounds and preparing for the next attack of   
Beryl's despicable Negaverse.   
  
A few hours within the bacta tank had healed all of   
Serenity's physical injuries. The mental ones, however, left   
deeper scars.   
  
  
  
  
  
"It's all my fault." She said one day, as they were all   
seated together. Tears were threatening to overflow her   
sapphire eyes as she faced her friends.   
  
  
"No its not, Serenity." Jaina said kindly, "Beryl had   
been planning this for centuries. You just happened to be in   
the wrong place at the wrong time."  
  
"If I hadn't run away..." Serenity sobbed. With an arm,   
Endymion pulled her into him to let her head rest on his   
chest.   
  
"You did what you thought was right. No one can blame   
you that," he said, his tone comforting.   
  
"Assigning blame will get us nowhere." Han Solo and   
his wife Leia had joined the small band of battered Jedi.   
Together they were working as how to free those trapped   
within Beryl's icy realm.   
  
"Yes," said Leia, as she watched the forms of her   
children and their friends.   
  
Suddenly, Serenity sat straight up, breaking free of   
Endymion's embrace and looked at them all with realization   
in her eyes.   
  
"What is it, Usako?" Jaina asked.   
  
"The day I first came here, all those years ago, I had a   
vision. I had just touched the walls of the temple and the   
ancient Massassi carvings, when I saw a flash of a woman   
being manhandled by someone. I didn't know it at first, but   
that woman was Mother." Serenity finished.   
  
"Wow. Really?" asked Jacen.   
  
"Yes. I am positive of it."  
  
"Well, if you could get a vision of the future from one of   
those old carvings, do you suppose you get a larger one   
from an ancient untouched temple?" Han asked his niece.   
  
"Possibly, but I don't know what good it'll do. Not with   
them still trapped down there."  
  
"Vision or no vision, we need to figure out a plan. We   
can't simply barge into the Negaverse and expect to free   
Luke and the others," Leia said firmly.   
  
"Yeah, last time we got our butts kicked." Jacen said   
quietly.   
  
"I'm not game for any butt-kicking this time," Han said,   
and flashed a lopsided grin at his son.   
  
"I have what Beryl is after," said Serenity softly. Every   
face gathered turned to hers, appraising her and wondering   
what she could possibly be protecting.   
  
"What is it, Serenity?" asked Leia kindly.   
  
Serenity sighed. "The Ginzuishou. I managed to grab it   
when my mother dropped it, before she..."  
  
"You have the Ginzuishou? Is that what Selene was   
protecting?" Leia said, her eyes wide.   
  
"Yes." Serenity reached inside a pocket of her academy   
jumpsuit and pulled out a giant silver crystal. She showed it   
to Leia.   
  
"This is the Ginzuishou. This is the power that Beryl   
would kill to obtain. This is the power she must not be   
allowed to have, for surely it would mean the end for the   
Universe as we know it."   
  
  
"May I see it?" Leia said, in her voice a tone of awe.   
Serenity nodded and deposited it inside the former Princess   
of Alderaan's hand. Leia turned it over, inspecting it, feeling   
the hum of life within its silver casing.   
  
"This is the Ginzuishou..." she said, still marveling at   
the crystal she held.   
  
"Yes," Serenity said, her voice strong. "With this, and   
our teamwork, Beryl will not stand a chance. I will not rest   
until those I love are safe once again."  
  
The people gathered exchanged glances, surprised by   
the conviction and strength the young princess was   
exhibiting. Surely she didn't mean for them to simply return   
to the depths of the Negaverse without any further plan?  
  
"The longer we wait, the less chance they are still alive.   
We must act now, while the element of surprise is still in our   
grasp. It will not be long before Beryl realizes that she did   
not capture the Ginzuishou when she captured my mother."   
She gave them each a fiery glare that strongly reminded   
Leia of her twin.   
  
"All right, Serenity. We'll go. But do you have any idea   
how we can get there?" Han said, as he assessed the girl in   
front of him.   
  
"Yes. The same way my mother got you there; I shall   
access the Ginzuishou."   
  
"Are you sure you can do that?" Helios asked.   
  
  
  
"Yes. I am of the royal family of the Moon Kingdom.   
Now join hands," she instructed, "as we leave once more for   
the Negaverse."   
  
Every person there, amid nervous glances and several   
quick Jedi relaxation techniques, carefully joined hands as   
Serenity lifted the Ginzuishou high over her head.   
  
"Cosmic Moon Power," she said softly, every fiber of   
her being in harmony with the crystal, and the Force. She   
felt it sing through her, these two different sources of power,   
and she no longer felt any qualms about who she was. She   
was here to protect her loved ones, that was her destiny.   
Taking in a deep breath, she opened her eyes as the light of   
the crystal engulfed them all and they were transported to   
Beryl's realm.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
It was like stepping out of a dream, the way the young   
Jedi and Han and Leia felt when the light of the crystal   
disappeared and they were safe on the icy black floor of one   
of the Negaverse's caverns.   
  
Serenity opened her eyes again, as she gently laid the   
crystal back inside her pocket. All the others were watching   
her, as if waiting for instruction. But she was unsure. How   
could she make decisions for them, decisions that could   
mean life or death?   
  
Luckily, for her anyway, Han rightly interpreted her   
hesitation, as he took charge. The rest of the Jedi Knights   
did not mind the leadership of the great General of the New   
Republic.   
  
"Come on. Serenity," he addressed the princess,   
"where is Beryl's central chamber?"  
  
  
"Just ahead of you, Han Solo," said a sneering, familiar   
voice from the shadows. In a flash of scarlet, Zekk leapt   
from one of the top rocks of the cavern to face the young   
Jedi and their allies.   
  
"Zekk." Tenel Ka said, an intense dislike evident in her   
features.   
  
"You remember me. How touching," he sneered. With a   
soft hum he ignited his scarlet lightsaber as he prepared to   
defend Beryl and her realm from the intruders.   
  
One by one, all the young Jedi Knights with the   
exception of Jaina and Serenity lit their lightsabers and   
prepared to do battle with the dark-haired Jedi of the   
Shadow Academy. Jaina pointedly refused to ignite her   
weapon, and Serenity was concentrating on finding a way   
past him and into Beryl's inner chambers.   
  
"Mercury made this look so easy," she grumbled as she   
punched buttons on the small handheld computer that   
belonged to the kind blue-haired Senshi of water and ice.   
  
"Oh, but Jaina," Zekk said, his voice teasing, "Why will   
you not fight me? Would you rather run? Are you afraid of   
me, Jaina?" He aimed his lightsaber in her direction, only to   
have it swiftly turned aside by a lightening blow from Lowie's   
bronze-coloured blade.   
  
"Oh? Are you to fight me, Wookiee?" he laughed, as he   
deftly turned aside every forceful blow from Lowie.   
  
"Aha! Got it," Serenity whispered to herself, as she   
stored the computer inside another pocket of her jumpsuit.   
Looking up, she noticed the fight ensuing between the lanky   
ginger-furred Wookiee and Zekk completely for the first   
time.   
  
"Stop!" she commanded, her voice full of authority and   
ringing with power.   
  
The combatants stopped, and turned their gazes to the   
tiny young woman who was bold enough to make upon them   
an order.   
  
"It's the pretty little princess. Pitiful little princess   
Serenity." Zekk's voice was cold, tinged with evil malice.   
  
As if in response to his taunts, Serenity pulled from her   
jumpsuit once more the Ginzuishou.   
  
"Serenity, no! Please," Jaina said, a sob catching in her   
throat. Serenity turned her ocean-blue eyes to Jaina's   
brown, a look of understanding and empathy on her   
features, but Serenity the young Jedi Knight was gone, the   
Serenity who was Jaina's best friend was gone, replaced by   
the steely princess who knew she had a duty.   
  
She raised the Ginzuishou high above her head, feeling   
the power surging through her. Her head flipped backward,   
her golden hair streaming behind her; with her eyes closed   
she looked quite ethereal.   
  
"Zekk..." Jaina whispered.   
  
"Please, Ginzuishou," Princess Serenity thought, her life   
entwined within the crystal's, "Jaina cares for him so. Take   
the strength from me, help him to be healed, for her sake."  
  
As if in response to the wishes of its princess, a bright   
white light erupted from within the crystal. It shone   
throughout the dark cavern, and all who saw it became   
entranced in awe and wonder. The light settled itself around   
Zekk, who, bewildered, felt his body leave the ground to   
float in the air. His crimson-lined cape, the gift of Brakiss for   
being the Shadow Academy's best and Darkest Knight, was   
shredded and disappeared into nothingness. He writhed for a   
moment, before the light set him back upon the rocky floor.   
  
He was on his knees as Jaina rushed to him, her   
lightsaber lying forgotten on the stone slab. She checked   
him for wounds, and he grasped her hand in his, as a tear   
ran down his face.   
  
"I'm so sorry, Jaina..." he said, guilt evident all over   
him.   
  
Princess Serenity, too, floated softly to the floor, the   
light leaving the Ginzuishou as it deposited itself, not within   
her pocket, but within the brooch of the Moon Prism on her   
chest. She opened her eyes and stared at it for a moment,   
disbelieving, before she turned her gaze to where her friends   
were gathered around the newly healed Zekk.   
  
"What did you do?" Leia asked her niece, still shocked   
by what she had seen.   
  
"Nothing he did not want. I only helped him do what he   
had wanted to do all along, but found he could not." said   
Princess Serenity.   
  
"Thank you, Princess." Zekk said, standing and bowing   
his head in her direction. She smiled regally, as if she knew   
the secrets of the cosmos.   
  
"You're quite welcome, Zekk," she said, and then   
turned to the others, "We must hurry. I have found the   
entrance to Beryl's main audience chamber, but there is no   
telling what she has done to Mother and the others."   
  
They each nodded, pulling out respective lightsabers.   
Jacen tossed his sister's to her, as he walked up to where   
she stood with Zekk.   
  
"Come on, sis." Jaina gave a laugh that was part sob,   
part cough as she said, "Of course. What are we waiting   
for?"  
  
Han looked down the chamber, where Serenity was   
already running with Lowbacca and Tenel Ka close behind.   
With a wave of his hand, he indicated the others to follow   
them, which they did, pelting down the cavernous tunnels   
dug deep within the icy rock.   
  
"Princess Serenity! You managed to find my lair, all by   
yourself," Beryl laughed. "Do you really think you will be   
able to free your parents and the Senshi?"   
  
Serenity walked forward, exuding confidence and   
power. The young Jedi Knights were behind her, lightsabers   
ignited, prepared to defend both her and each other no   
matter the cost.   
  
"Oh, and you managed to convince the Jedi brats to   
come back!" Beryl laughed even harder.   
  
"Don't underestimate us, Beryl. We are a formidable   
team," Jaina said, her voice cold and hard with dislike.  
  
"Zekk..." said Beryl silkily. "You didn't manage to   
eliminate these pests last time they annoyed me, so now I'm   
counting on you to finish the job."   
  
Zekk shook his head, his face set in an angry scowl of   
determination.   
  
"No," he spat, "I will never harm any of these people.   
Not at your bidding, nor anyone else's."  
  
"What's this? Traitor!" Beryl snapped. "You'll pay for   
your treachery! Kalcite!" she howled into the darkness. The   
young Jedi stood their ground, as an older man with dark   
brown hair and tanned skin walked calmly out of the   
shadows.   
  
The only one to falter, the only one to become unsure,   
was Princess Serenity, for the man who was emerging,   
Kalcite, was none other than Apollo, who had tormented her   
childhood years.   
  
"Yes, girl, it is me. Pity your mother loved you, that she   
would be worried enough over your miserable being to risk   
her life for yours. How does it feel, girl, knowing that you   
have caused your mother's death, and the destruction of the   
Universe!" He cried in elation, as he pointed at the still-  
crystallized form of Selene as she gripped tightly the   
Crescent Moon Wand. "She died with the Ginzuishou! Now   
there is not a power one to defeat the realm of the mighty   
Negaforce! Queen Beryl shall rightfully rule over your   
pathetic lands!"  
  
"Apollo..." Serenity growled, her entire body shaking   
with anger, rage, and betrayal.   
  
"Don't listen to him, Sere! It isn't your fault!" Jaina   
cried.   
  
"You can defeat him, and her both!" Tenel Ka yelled to   
her friend.   
  
"You have the Ginzuishou. You have the power," Leia   
said, "use it."  
  
  
"She has the Ginzuishou?!" Beryl cried in outrage.   
"This pathetic runt of a girl is controlling the greatest known   
power in the Universe?! As if she could possibly defeat me!"  
Beryl launched a torrent of black Negaforce energy at   
Serenity, who deflected it with the rainbow blade of her   
lightsaber, all the colors of the planets of the Silver   
Millennium intertwined. The energy ricocheted off of her   
energy blade and hit the crystals encasing Selene and Luke,   
shattering them to pieces. The queen and her Jedi fell to   
the floor, and awakened from the stasis. Offering his arm to   
Selene, Luke pulled them both to their feet.   
  
"Just who do you think you are?!!" Beryl roared.   
  
"Me?" Serenity said lightly, all fear and doubt gone   
from her mind. Luke and Selene joined the others as they   
watched, open-mouthed, the power flowing through their   
daughter.   
  
"I am Serenity Tsukino, princess of the Silver   
Millennium and the Moon Kingdom, and also Jedi Knight-in-  
training on Yavin 4. I am the daughter of two worlds,   
magical and material, joined together through the power of   
love. And it is this power of love which shall defeat you and   
your evil, once and for all."  
  
"Big words, little girl," Apollo snarled, "but can you   
back them up?" He lunged at Serenity, a blade of Dark   
Negaforce energy in his hand.   
  
"Serenity, look out!" Jaina cried, as both Luke and Zekk   
leapt forward at the same time, back to back fighting off the   
general.   
  
"Nice to see us fighting on the same side, Zekk," Luke   
said, as he deflected a blow from Apollo's energy.   
  
  
"You bet, Master Skywalker." Zekk said as he slashed   
at Apollo's blade, defending Serenity as she prepared to use   
the power locked deep within her.   
  
  
"Let's see if you can control that power, little princess,"   
Beryl hissed, as she sent a huge discharge of crackling black   
energy from the Negaforce at the girl.   
  
She repelled the attack once more using her lightsaber,   
aiming it at the crystals encasing the Senshi. It ricocheted   
among the crystals, cracking them open and releasing their   
prisoners.   
  
Shakily, the Senshi stood and walked over to where   
their queen and the young Jedi Knights were fighting against   
different youma.   
  
"Mars Fireballs Charge!" Rings of fire erupted from   
Sailor Mars, surrounding one youma and annihilating it.   
  
"You bastard!" Selene said angrily at Apollo, as she saw   
him battling with Luke and Zekk.   
  
"Selene, get back!" Luke commanded, locked in a   
swordfight with Beryl's general.   
  
"How dare you rip apart my family!" She yelled, and   
grabbed one of the sharp Negaverse crystals from the icy   
floor and plunged it through Apollo's heart. As one, Luke and   
Zekk leapt back as the wicked general writhed in pain, and   
disappeared in a breeze of cherry blossoms.   
  
Selene was shaking, surprised at her own bravado.   
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Luke disengaged his   
lightsaber and walked over to her, his eyes trained on the   
form of his daughter, high above him, where she faced the   
Dark Queen of the Negaverse.   
  
  
"They have killed my warrior Kalcite! They shall pay,"   
she roared at Serenity. "Starting with the death of their   
princess!" This time, a surge of the Dark power charged at   
Serenity, too much to deflect with her lightsaber. Instead,   
she pulled from her brooch the Ginzuishou, only to have it   
knocked from her hands at the deluge of Dark power. It   
swept over her, knocking her off the high rock to the ground   
below.   
  
"Serenity!!" Selene cried as she saw her daughter fall.   
  
"Usako!" Endymion yelled, bringing his sword back   
from the depths of a youma. Blaster fire ricocheted   
everywhere from Han's blaster as he shot at the youma   
which was attacking Leia.   
  
Lowie saw her fall first, and was the first to react. He   
leapt forward and caught her in his strong, hairy arms as   
she shivered with the dark power coursing through her   
body. The Ginzuishou fell through the air at Selene's feet   
and she grabbed it quickly and held it tightly.   
  
"You shall pay, little princess!" Beryl sent another flood   
of Nega-energy at Serenity, who, out of Lowie's arms, was   
unable to deflect it. Endymion saw the danger coming to his   
beloved, and leapt in front to protect her, only to have the   
energy hit him instead.   
  
"Endymion!" Serenity cried as he was caught within the   
surge of Dark energy. She saw his body fall, and ran over to   
where he lay, dying.   
  
"Endymion," she sobbed, "my love. My only love. For   
you I lived, to you I gave myself, all of me that I could   
give." She gently stroked his hair from his face, her own   
tears falling upon his stiffening body.   
  
Her face took on a fierce determination as she eyed his   
blade lying near to where he had fallen. Quickly she grasped   
the hilt, saying, "I will not be forced to marry! My love, my   
life, is dead and gone, and so is my reason to live. Here,   
accursed blade, take my very breath! I've no use for it   
anymore."  
  
"Serenity!" Jaina screamed.   
  
"Serenity!" Luke yelled.   
  
Not listening, Serenity plunged the blade of the sword   
into her body, lodging it deep inside her. She choked on her   
own blood, then fell onto Endymion, the white of her gown   
stained crimson.   
  
"Perfect!" roared Beryl as the princess and her prince   
both went limp, the life having left their bodies.   
"The pretty twit and her prince are dead! And I   
survive!"   
  
"I won't let it end like this!" Selene cried.   
  
"Not the princess..." Luna sobbed, for she had followed   
Serenity as she left the academy.   
  
"Serenity..." Jacen said, as the slain form of his friend   
and cousin lay upon the body of her husband.   
  
Lowie let out a Wookiee roar of anger, and a howl of   
mourning as he saw his friend die.   
  
"Oh, Master Lowbacca, this is awful!" said the   
synthesized voice of Em-Teedee. "Poor Mistress Serenity!"  
  
"Oh, darling, I won't let them take away your future!"   
She ripped the Ginzuishou from her Crescent Moon Wand   
and raised it above her.   
  
"Cosmic Moon Power!" she yelled, as the light   
surrounded the form of Beryl and her Negaverse guards and   
her generals, the dead forms of the Senshi who had died at   
the hands of Jedite, and lastly around Endymion and her   
beloved daughter.   
  
All at once, they disappeared, and Selene fell to the   
floor, utterly exhausted.   
  
"You did it!" Jacen cried.   
  
Luke went to her, and knelt down beside her.   
  
  
"No," she said, her voice weak, "I merely trapped them   
inside the crystal. Had I killed them I would have destroyed   
Serenity and the others as well. They will be reborn, on   
Earth..." Her hand dropped limply to her side, and Luke   
knew she was dying. "Luke," she said, turning to him, "you   
missed watching our daughter grow up, and I will give you   
this chance. The others will be reborn on Earth, for the Moon   
Kingdom and the Silver Millennium are no more. But, if you   
would wish, Serenity can be raised with you..." Her voice   
weakened by the moment and her breathing grew heavy,   
labored.   
  
"Of course, Selene. Anything," he said, her hand   
grasped firmly within his.   
  
"But, there is one thing; you will know when the time   
comes for her to return to Earth to complete her destiny.   
Promise me you will take her," she whispered.  
  
"Yes, Selene."  
  
"Luna, Artemis," she addressed the cats at her feet, "I   
will send you to the future to be their guardians, and to   
reunite them should the Negaverse return. I am counting on   
you," she waved the arm holding the crystal, and the two   
cats were encased in time capsules, asleep. In a second,   
they had disappeared. The crystal shattered into individual   
crystals, each crystal guarding one of the precious souls to   
be reborn, and disappeared.  
  
"Goodbye, Luke..."she whispered, as he bent and   
kissed her softly. As soon as he had arisen, he knew that   
she was dead.   
  
He stood, terribly shaken from what had happened that   
day, and gathered his students and family around him and   
led them out of the dark and dreary world of Beryl's. And as   
they left, Selene's body disappeared in a breeze of glitter   
and rose petals.  
  
With one last look behind him, Luke turned and left   
Beryl's realm, never to return. 


End file.
